"Mr Meeson's Will"
This is a short novel concerning Mr Meeson, an enormously wealthy publisher, and his Will. Like The Yellow God: An Idol of Africa (where the target is speculative financiers), "Mr Meeson's Will" criticises the publishing world, where writers received only a poor return on their works, and remained in bondage to their publishers, who made fortunes out of them, while crushing any originality they might have shown.
Meeson, who with his partners Alfred Addison and Cecil Roscoe, run Meeson & Co, is hugely successful, mainly in the field of popular religious works. Meeson himself has amassed some £2m, a gigantic sum of money for the time - it is set when written, in 1885.
One of Meeson's new successes is Miss Augusta Smithers, a 22 year old orphan who has written the popular novel, "Jemina's Vow". As a new writer, "Gus" had agreed to £50 for the royalties of the book, rather than 7% of the royalties, which would have brought her much more. She approaches Meeson for something more, which he indignantly refuses, pointing to the sanctity of their contract. But her part is taken by Meeson's nephew, Eustace Meeson, who happens upon them. He thinks his uncle is unfair on Miss Smithers, to whom he is attracted.
Mr Meeson and his nephew quarrel over this contract, so much so that the former disinherits the latter, going immediately to his lawyers to put this into effect. He leaves his money to his partners, with some going in various legacies. What neither he nor Eustace knew was the reason which compelled the shy Augusta to ask for more money. She has a younger sister ill with a heart complaint, and the only way to save her - or prolong her life a little - was to get her abroad. On hearing that their last expedient - for they have only a tiny inheritance upon which to live - has failed, Augusta's sister, the twelve year old Jeannie Smithers, gives up. She dies in her sleep the next night.
Eustace wished to discover more of Augusta Smithers, traces her to her and her late sister's flat in Birmingham - the city where all the action has so far taken place. He is horrified when Augusta, somewhat unthinkingly, shows him Jeannie in her coffin. Under the circumstances Eustace is put off, and forgets to enquire of Augusta's next move. In fact she has already decided what to do. She cannot write anything for five years unless it is for Meeson's, and she does not wish to give them the advantage. So she will go to a cousin, who is a clergyman in New Zealand.
It so happens that Mr Meeson is also planning to go to New Zealand, and Australia, to check on the local branches of his publishing empire, which have not been producing a sufficiently high profit. Unknowingly both embark on the same ship, the RMS Kangaroo. When Eustace Meeson, now employed by a publisher in London as a reader, goes north to see Miss Smithers, he discovers that she has left the country. He tries to convince himself that he has only a friendly interest in Augusta, but cannot escape the conclusion that he has fallen in love with her, although he has only seen her twice. He returns distraught to London.
The Kangaroo is also carrying Lord Holmhurst, the new Governor of New Zealand, with his wife Lady Holmhurst, and five year old son Dick. They become friends with Augusta, after she is moved into an officer's cabin on the orders of the Captain, who is a fan of her novel. She attracts the admiration of others on board, including a New Zealand colonist, Mr Tombey, who proposes to Augusta and is gently rejected.
The ship, which is under both sail and engine, is making good speed - some 18 knots - when she hits a whaler (which is sailing without lights) and is fatally damaged. Although she is carrying some 1,000 passengers and crew there are only enough boats for 300, and the passengers struggle for them. The Captain orders the women and children into the boats, and orders Lord Holmhurst to join them. However he declines to do so, and helps the crew keep the mob away from the boats.
Mr Tombey finds Augusta and helps her into a boat. The mob are held back by Lord Holmhurst and the officers, but only two boats are successfully launched before they are overrun, and the ship sinks amid a struggle on deck. Many jump into the sea, but only one manages to reach a boat - it is Mr Meeson.
By next morning the two boats have separated. One, containing a score of women and children, including Lady Holmhurst, is soon picked up by a passing ship. They reach safety and the tale is told of the loss of the vessel. All others, including Lord Holmhurst and his son, Augusta Smithers, and Mr Meeson, are presumed drowned. When Eustace hears this he is distraught, not at the loss of the £2m which was rightfully his, but at the death of Augusta.
The story now becomes reminscent of Mary of Marion Isle. The second boat, containing Augusta and Dick Holmhurst - whom Augusta had rescued after his nurse abandoned him in her fright - Mr Meeson, and two sailors, reaches land the day after the sinking. The land is as inhospitable as it could be. It is Kerguelen Land, which is an uninhabited desolate place. There are two ruined huts - without food - but they salvahed a keg of rum, and a packet of biscuits from the sinking ship. Augusta and Dick take up residence in the smaller hut, while Meeson and the sailors move into the larger.
Although there are penguin eggs to eat - after roasting them - so that they should not starve just yet, the diet is not suitable. But the bigger problem is that Meeson is ill. He has not recovered from his dunking in the sea, and fears he is dying. He tells Augusta - whom he talks to although she is a mere authoress, since the sailors are rough uncouth men (moreover who have a liking for the rum) - that he regrets his treatment of his nephew. He also is sorry at the way he has conducted his business affairs. He wants to correct his errors - and the only way he can do so is to make a new Will. However, none of them have any paper, nor linen. Their clothes were deemed unsuitable. Augusta had been only partially dressed when she had fled to the boat, and the others' clothes were of rough material unsuited for writing. No one seems to have thought to engrave a piece of timber from the huts, or a piece of driftwood - but than that would spoil the story.
One of the sailors offers to tattoo a Will, if a subject is found. They consider using Meeson himself, but decide (in one of the more humerous passages of the book) that he wouldn't keep. Augusta offers herself as a canvas, the second sailor refusing. Although she knows that this will disfigure herself for life, it is the only way she can think of which will enable Eustace to get his £2m - which he lost through her.
Meeson, whose condition is worsening, moves in with Augusta and Dick Holmhurst, as the sailors have taken to drink. The Will is executed on Augusta's neck and shoulders, using Cuttlefish ink - it is short ("I leave everything to Eustace Meeson"). She is not happy about it, though her modesty isn't too seriously offended, as she only need use part of her neck. Unlike many modern western women, who would happily remove all their clothes for a casual passer-by to see, Augustas is modest and chaste. Meeson and the sailors sign, by making the initial incision, the tattooist finishing the job with the signer holding their hand on his arm. Augusta can bear no more, and the document is left undated for the next day. But Meeson dies in the night. Within a few days the sailors have followed him, falling into the sea in their drunken state.
Augusta Smithers and young Dick - now the Lord Holmhurst - are now alone on the island. However they are not destined to end their days there, as a whaler, searching for her sister ship (run down by the Kangaroo), sees the flag raised by the now drowned sailors. The survivors are taken onboard, after the Captain and his wife, Mrs Thomas, see Meeson's remains, and take note of all that there was to see on the island.
Back in England they find that Augusta's and Dick's survival has created a sensation. They are met at the station in London by Lady Holmhurst, who is overjoyed to be reunited with her son, and Eustace Meeson. Augusta, before she is borne away in Lady Holmhurst's carriage, tells Eustace to come to see her next morning, as she has news for him. He keeps the appointment at Lady Holmhurst's home, and learns of the Will.
They consult Eustace's neighbours and friends, twin brothers James and John Short. They are both lawyers, John the solicitor and James the barrister, and have young brothers (mere children) as their clerks. Neither have made a success of their chosen careers - indeed both have waited in vain for custom. But they are delighted to take Eustace's case, which is simply to contest the grant of probate on the Will of Mr Meeson, and pray for the grant of probate on the new "Will".
The first step is to file the Will in the registry. The registrar, the elderly and kindly Dr Proctor, is taken aback when a young woman is offered as the "Will", but proves up to the problem, having her photographed and a producing a certified copy. Augusta was then free to go.
The day of the trial arrives. Thanks to the photographer having sold copies of the photograph there is great interest and excitement. The courtroom is packed - not least by the several dozen lawyers for the defendants (Addison and Roscoe), and representatives of the charities which benefitted under Meeson's Will. The plaintiff is represented solely by the young and inexperienced James Short - as Eustace cannot afford more - and even that is on account.
Proceedings commence. The Attorney-General and Solicitor-General are acting for the defendants, and begin by offering to settle. To the Shorts - and to Augusta - this is clear evidence that they know their case is weak. Their offer is declined. Short commences, then becomes overcome by the magnitude of the situation, and freezes. Fiddlestick, QC, one of the leaders of the defendants, kindly causes a disruption in court, allowing Short to recover his composure.
The judge is sympathetic, in view of the imbalance of counsel. He is also careful to prevent undue embarrassment to Augusta, who has to remove her stole, and parade along the rows of counsel in a low-cut evening dress, to allow them to examine the Will. There is argument about the date of the Will, as it is unsigned. But the evidence from Lady Holmhurst that their was no Will on the Kangaroo, and of Mrs Thomas (who has come to England to see family) that there was when Augusta was rescued (and that it was then still unhealed), was conclusive. There was further argument as to whether Meeson was of sound mind, and indeed whether a tattoo was capable of being used to write a Will. It was also put that Augusta had used undue influence on Meeson to get the Will - an argument especially valid since it was announced that Eustace Meeson and Augusta Smithers were engaged to be married. Only a woman who was in love would allow herself to be marked in this way, even though she might not have known at the time that she was in love.
However, in the end the judge came down heavily in favour of the plaintiff. He set aside the grant of probate, and granted letters of administration - there being no executor - for the new Will. Addison and Roscoe decide not to appeal, provided Eustace does not pursue them for costs. Eustace and Augusta marry, as everyone expected that they would, Dr Proctor giving Eustace away. Everyone is happy - except the former partners of Meeson.
Eustace Meeson and the new Mrs Augusta Meeson try to settle into Pompadou Hall, but find its state too much. They decide to give away £200,000, to found a charity for broken-down authors. Meanwhile Meeson buys out Addison and Roscoe, and reforms the firm along fairer lines.
The Shorts are now made, as a result of James' masterly handling of the case in the face of such heavy odds. He become very friendly with the widowed - but stil young - Lady Holmhurst. Augusta dreams that James becomes a QC and marries Lady Holmhurst, which Eustace thinks a not improbable outcome.
This is a curious early Haggard work, both in its story and in certain details. The hostility to publishing houses may be due to early experience of his own, but it is also more usual of his later works to attack an institution or attitude (as in "Queen Sheba's Ring" - lack of patriotism and preparation for war). The island escapde, short as it is, is remiscent of that in Mary of Marion Isle - as is the division between the city-based and island-based events. The sinking of the Kangaroo predates the loss of the Titanic by more than 25 years - and it is a pity that he doesn't get credit for pointing to the dangers of ships putting to sea with grossly insufficient lifeboats.
As is usual for the major characters in Haggard's works the strongest are women. The young, modest but fiesty Agusta Smithers, and even Lady Holmhurst, are more dynamic and interesting than the Meesons, uncle and nephew. All ends happily enough, with Eustace bringing £2m, and Augusta literary genuis, to the marriage. There is perhaps a hint that Eustace might be in awe of his bride.