Under the Waves | Page 4

fat and heavy, as well as fair."
"Ay, an' forty, if you come to that," said the diver. "She's fourteen stun
if she's an ounce; but let me tell you, Mister Edgar, she wasn't always
heavy. There was a time when my Susan was as trim and taut and
clipper-built as any Aileen that ever was born."
"I have no doubt of it whatever," returned the youth, "but I was going
to say, when you interrupted me, it is her eyes that are her strong
point--her deep, liquid, melting blue eyes, that look at you so earnestly,
and seem to pierce--"
"Ay, just so," interrupted the diver; "pierce into you like a gimblet,
goin' slap agin the retina, turnin' short down the jugular, right into the
heart, where they create an agreeable sort o' fermentation. Oh! Don't I
know?--my Susan all over!"
Edgar's amusement was tinged slightly with disgust at the diver's
persistent comparisons. However, mastering his feelings, he again
demanded advice as to what he should do in the circumstances.
"You han't told me the circumstances yet," said the diver quietly.

"Well, here they are. Old Mr Hazlit--"
"What! Hazlit? Miss Hazlit, is that her name?" cried Baldwin, with a
look of pleased surprise.
"Yes, do you know her?"
"Know her? Of course I do. Why, she visits the poor in my district o'
the old town--you know I'm a local preacher among the Wesleyans--an'
she's one o' the best an' sweetest--ha! Angel indeed! I'm glad she wasn't
made an angel of, for it would have bin the spoilin' of a splendid
woman. Bless her!"
The diver spoke with much enthusiasm, and the young man smiled as
he said, "Of course I add Amen to your last words.--Well then," he
continued, "Aileen's father has refused to allow me to pay my addresses
to his daughter. He has even forbidden me to enter his house, or to hold
any intercourse whatever with her. This unhappy state of things has
induced me to hasten my departure from England. My intention is to go
abroad, make a fortune, and then return to claim my bride, for the want
of money is all that the old gentleman objects to. I cannot bear the
thought of going away without saying good-bye, but that seems now
unavoidable, for he has, as I have said, forbidden me the house."
Edgar looked anxiously at his companion's face, but received no
encouragement there, for Baldwin kept his eyes on the ground, and
shook his head slowly.
"If the old gentleman has forbid you his house, of course you mustn't
go into it. However, it seems to me that you might cruise about the
house and watch till Sus--Aileen, I mean--comes out; but I don't myself
quite like the notion of that either, it don't seem fair an' above-board
like."
"You are right," returned Edgar. "I cannot consent to hang about a
man's door, like a thief waiting to pounce on his treasure when it opens.
Besides, he has forbidden Aileen to hold any intercourse with me, and I
know her dear nature too well to subject it to a useless struggle between

duty and inclination. She is certain to obey her father's orders at any
cost."
"Then, sir," said Baldwin decidedly, "you'll just have to go afloat
without sayin' good-bye. There's no help for it, but there's this comfort,
that, bein' what she is, she'll like you all the better for it.--Now, here we
are at the pier. Boat a-hoy-oy!"
In reply to the diver's hail a man in a punt waved his hand, and pulled
for the landing-place.
A few strokes of the oar soon placed them on the deck of a large
clumsy vessel which lay anchored off the entrance to the harbour. This
was the diver's barge, which exhibited a ponderous crane with a
pendulous hook and chain in the place where its fore-mast should have
been. Several men were busied about the deck, one of whom sat
clothed in the full dress of a diver, with the exception of the helmet,
which was unscrewed and lay on the deck near his heavily-weighted
feet. The dress was wet, and the man was enjoying a quiet pipe, from
all which Edgar judged that he was resting after a dive. Near to the
plank on which the diver was seated there stood the chest containing
the air-pumps. It was open, the pumps were in working order, with two
men standing by to work them. Coils of india-rubber tubing lay beside
it. Elsewhere were strewn about stones for repairing the pier, and
various building tools.
"Has Machowl come on board yet?" asked Baldwin, as he stepped on
the deck. "Ah, I see he has.--Well, Rooney lad, are you prepared to go
down?"
"Yis, sur, I am."
Rooney Machowl, who stepped