"
Faith sighed heavily, partly for herself, but mainly, perhaps, for the
sake of a fine heart sadly thrown away on her. "I believe he is all
that," she said.
"In that case, what more can you have?" pursued the triumphant Admiral.
"It is one of the clearest things I ever knew, and one of the most
consistent"--consistent was a great word in those days--"as well as in
every way desirable. Consider, not yourself--which you never do--but
the state of the Country, and of Dolly. They have made me a baronet,
for being away from home nearly every night of my life; and if I had
Dashville to see to things here, I might stay away long enough to be a
lord myself, like my late middy the present Duke of Bronte."
Faith laughed heartily. "You call me jealous! My dear father, I know
that you could have done a great deal more than Lord Nelson has, because
he learned all that he knows from you. And now who is it that really
defends the whole south coast of England against the French? Is it Lord
Nelson? He has as much as he can do to look after their fleet in the
Mediterranean. Admiral Cornwallis and Sir Charles Darling are the real
defenders of England."
"No, my dear, you must never say that, except of course in private.
There may be some truth in it, but it would be laughed at in the present
condition of the public mind. History may do me justice; but after all
it is immaterial. A man who does his duty should be indifferent to the
opinion of the public, which begins more and more to be formed less
by fact than by the newspapers of the day.
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