The Firm of Girdlestone Chapter 4 - Captain Hamilton Miggs of the "Black Eagle."

Arthur Conan Doyle (0:00)

Captain Hoffman, Captain Hamilton Miggs of The Black Eagle. The head of the firm had hardly recovered his mental serenity after the painful duty of explaining her financial position to the widow. Hudson, when his quick ear caught the sound of a heavy footstep in the counting house, a gruff voice was audible at the same time, which demanded the rather more energetic language than was usually employed in that early establishment.

Whether the principle was to be seen or not, the answer was evidently in the affirmative, for the lumbering tread came rapidly nearer, and a powerful double knock announced that the visitor was at the other side of the door.

Come in, cried Mr. Girdlestone, laying down his pen.

This invitation was so far complied with that the handle turned, and the door revolved slowly upon its hinges. Nothing more substantial than a strong smell of spiritus liquor, however, entered the apartment. Come in, the merchant repeated impatiently. At the second mandate, a great tangle mass of black hair was slowly protruded round the angle of the door. Then a copper-colored forehead appeared with a couple of very shaggy eyebrows, and evidently a pair of eyes, which protruded from their sockets and looked yellow and unhealthy. These took a long look at the senior partner and then at his surroundings, after which, as if reassured by the inspection, the remainder of the face appeared, a flat, nosy, large mouth with a lower lip which hung down and exposed a line of tobacco-stained teeth, and finally a thick black beard which bristled straight out from the chin, and bore abundant traces of an egg having fallen part of his owner's morning meal.

The head having appeared, the body soon followed it, though all in the same anaconda-like style of progression, until the individual stood revealed he was a stoutly built seafaring man, and was dressed in a pea jacket and blue trousers, and holding his torpillene hat in his hand with a rough scrape and a most unpleasant leer, he advanced towards the merchant, a tattoo and hairy hand outstretched in signs of greeting. Why, captain, said the head of the firm rising and grasping of his hand with a fusion, I am glad to see you back and safe and well. Glad to see you, sir, glad to see you. His voice was thick and husky, and there was an indecision about his gait, as though he had been drinking heavily. I came in sort of cautious, he continued, cause I didn't know who might be about. When you and me speak together, we'd like to speak alone, you know that.

The merchant raised his bushy eyebrows a little, as though he did not relish the idea of mutual confidence, suggested by his companion's remark.

Hadn't you better take a seat? he said. The other took a canned bottom chair and carried it into the extreme corner of the office. Then having looked seedily at the wall behind him and wrapped it with his knuckles, he sat down, still throwing an occasional apprehensive glance over his shoulder. I've got a touch of the jumps, he remarked apologetically to his employer. I'd like to know as there ain't no one behind me. You should give up the shocking habits of drinking, Mr. Girdlestone said seriously. It is a waste of the best gifts with which Providence has endowed us. You are the worst for it both in this world and the next. Captain Hamilton Miggs did not seem to be at all impressed by this very sensible piece of advice. On the contrary, he chuckled boisterously to himself and slapped his thigh, expressed his opinion that his employer was a rum-un and a conviction which he repeated to himself several times with various symptoms of admiration.

Well, well, Girdlestone said after a short pause, boys will be boys and sailors, I suppose, will be sailors. After eight months of anxiety and toil ending in success, Captain, I am proud to be able to say the words some little license must be allowed. I do not judge others, but the same hard and fast lines by which I would regulate my own conduct. This Admiral's sentiment also failed to elicit any response from the obdurate Miggs, except the same manifestation of mirth and the same audible aside to the peculiarities of his master's character. I must congratulate you on your cargo, and wish you the same luck for your next voyage, the merchant continued. Ivory and gold dust and skins, and resin and cock, canal and gums and ebony and rice and tobacco and fruits and nuts and bulk. If there's a better cargo about, I'd like to see it, the sailor said defiantly.

An excellent cargo, captain. Very good indeed. Three of your men died, I believe. Ah, three of the lovers went under. Two were fever and one was snakebite. It licks me what sailors are coming to in these days. When I was a full of the mass reader, I have been ashamed to die of a trifle like that. Look at me, I've been down with coast fever 16 times, and I had yellowjack and dysentery, and I've been bit by the black cobra in the endomens. I've had cholera. Two, it broke out in a brig when I was in sandwich island trade, and I was shipmates with seven dead out of a crew of ten. But I ain't none of the worse for it, nor never will be. But I say, Governor, ain't you got a drop of something about the office?