one or two more lessons like that and i will know how to give the blows myself


after a few seconds the maitre decole started in pursuit of rodolphe who had disappeared amiing the labyrinths of the neighbourhood


disappointed in his search he returned to the tavern and just as he reentered two persons running from the other end of the street rushed into the tavern out of breath


their first move ment was to look closely round the guests


show unfortunate said one he has escaped us again


patience the days have twentyfour hours each and life is long answered the other


these newcomers spoke in english


the two persons who had just entered the one was tall and thin with a bony and evidentlybelonged to a more elevated chss than the usual frequenters of this tavern


dark face and a severe aspect


his long ridingcoat was buttoned to his throat and he wore over his trousers large military boots called suwarrows


ills companion was of very small stature dressed in mourn ing and was pale and handsome


the long black hair and eyelashes and brilliant dark eyes strikingly contrasted to the whiteness of the complexion and the carriage size and delicacy of feature rendered it evident that this was a woman disguised


the tall stranger asked for something to drink and his companion said question these people about him


yes helen answered her brother seating himself at one of the tables


the entrance of these individuals had excited general attention their dress and mannersindicated they were nofrequenters of such places whilst their restless move ments announced that no common business had brought them there


the gonaleusealarmed at her rencontre with la chouette had profited by the op


portunity and slipped out by the halfopen door


the ogresse leaned graciously over the counter and said will you have some wine on draught or will you have asealed bottle


give us a bottle of wine some glasses and water


it was brought seyton threw down five francs and refused the change


keep it landlady and take a glass of wine with us


you are very polite sir said mother ponisse looking at tom with more as tonishment than gratitude


but tell me continued he we have agreed to meet a comrade at a tavern in this street perhaps we are mistaken in the place


this is the lapin blanc atyour service sir


thats the name


i guess there are not two lapins blanes said the ogresse proudly but what kind of a man was your comrade t stall and slender chesnut hair and mon


tache he was herejust nowa charbonnier came toseek him and they went away to gether and were they alone here t asked helen


your comrade supped here with la goualeuse and the chourineur said the ogresse as shelooked towards the only remaining companion of rodolphe


the two strangers turned towards the chourineur and after a few nioments ex amination ihelensaid to her brother in english do yon know this man no karl lost sight of rodolphe but seeing sir walter murphy disguised as a charcoal dealer hovering round this tavern and peeping through the windows hesus pected something and came and gave me notice


during this conversption the maitre deeole whispered to la chouette


the tall fellow gave five franks to the ogresse it is midnight it blows and rains like the devil when they go out ill stun him and take his money fromhim he has a woman with him


he wont dare to make a noise


after having reflected a moment helen looking at the chourineur said to her brother if we interrogate this man about rodolphe we can perhaps find out what brought him liere


we will try said seyton and address ing the chourineuricomrade said he we expect to meet a friend here he has supped with you lcan you tell us where he has gone to


all that i iknow aboit him is that he knocked me down not long ago


after sitting some time midnight struck at the iotel de ville and the lamp of the tavern shed a glimmering light


the seytons having left the tapisfrane drew near a part of the street where there was a house ini ruins this building being about half demolishedits upen vault form ed a sort of gulf extending along the street


the maitre d rcole w ho had hid himself in a lane opposite sprang upon his victim with the bound of a tiger and seizing hini by the throat cried your money or


the brigand by way of concluding the sentence pushed him backward and held him as it were suspended over the vault while with the othber hanid he seized the arm of his sister as with a vice


in the meanwhile la chouette emptied his pock eta with marvellous dexterity


helen uttered no cry but said in a calm tone give them your purse brother and then addressing the robber said we will make no noisedo us no harm


the self possession of seyton did not de sert him during the unlookedfor scene will you make a hargain said he


my portfolio contains papers that will he use less to you bring them to me tomorrow and i will give you twentyfive louis


yes to catch me in a trap answered the brigand


come


be off and dont look behind you and think yourself lucky in getting away


swait a moment


said lachouette if he means what he says there is a way to doit he shall have his papers


then addressing seyton he said do you know the plainof st denis


s es


do yon know saint onen


yes


well opposite saint ouen at the end of the road the country is level and one can see for a great distance over the fields do you come there to morrow alone bring your money and youll find me there ivith the portfoliotouch and takei willgiv it to you


but he will mob you la chouette


not such afooll i can see so far


i have only one eye but it is a good one if the gentleman brings any one with him hell not findme there


helen now appeared struck with a sud den idea for she said to the briiand do you want to earn some money


yes did you see in the tavern the man whom the charbonnier called out


a slender vounman withrmustaches


yes i was just gbing to pluck his fea thers but he didnt give me time


oh


i will have revenge swell


it is concerning him i speak said helen


sof him


cried the maitre decole give me a thousand francs and ill kill himfor you t elen i cried her brother in alarm


wretch


i have no idea of having him murdered what do you want then


come tomorrow to the plain of st denis you will find my conipanion there con


tinued she you will find him alone and be will tell you what i want you to do


it is not one but two thousand francs i will give you if you succeed


mademoiselle ursule


a tale


translated for the geelong advertiser from the french of moleri in the feuilletoii of le mauricien


concluded


chapter vii


bernard found the colonel seated at a table whereon several papers werespread


eugene had apparently just been dis missed


tile cdolonel was leaning his liead upon his hand and there was a mixed expression of pain and regret in his countenance but not of that degree of acuteaess which denotes a recent calamily


you look sad my friend i hope nothing has occurred to cause ynu in quietude


no but ihave arrived at a period in my memoirs whiiich even iafter a lapse of thirty years powverfully affects me


bernard saw that the colonel was in a frame of mind exceedingly favorable to the succes ithe delicate mission which he had tilleitaken he therefore en deavoured to keep up the tone of tihe conversation


alas i my friend


there are few who have arrived even at my own age who have not at some period of their lives encountered some mournful adventure the traces of which are inefthceable


and even when a man escapes such misfor tunes in his own person he cannot shut up his soul from sympathy with othero


this has been my own case


there is something ohastening in mournful reflec tions and the friendship which arises from mutual confidence is the mostestim able on earth


it is true replied tihe colonel a man can bear hiis own fate but the grief of others in whom one feels an in terest is more deeply felt and is the more pure from the want of selfishnes


the ignorant may suppose the profes sion of a soldier to be utterly at variance with tile experience of such sympathy but itis only in the rapidity of events that tlhe affections can be for a time sup pressed


bernard was deeply moved he grasped tihe colonels hand


ah


he cried there is also a passage in my life which verifies the justness of your theory


when in the republican army i contracted a friendship with one of my comrades a conscript who had been torn by the cruel laws of nanoleon from his peaceful ihome just a few months after his marriage


a continual melancholy seitled in consequence upon his mind


there were hundreds similarly circum stanced who sought relef in desperate extremes but dumontelps heart was broken if it be possible for mans hear to break


he fell by my side on the field ofmorengo but lived long enough to bequeathl me a most delicate task


it was to go to his native village when the wars were over and to offer such conso lationas i could to his widow


i did not firget my promise


i sought out her cottage


it was tenantless


the news of his deatl had precededime and arrived at a fatal moment


tlhe gentle being who hadl linked her fate to his expired but her infinst lived


i felt it to be my dutyto adopt tihe orphaned in


nicott atd i rejoice to think that the saddest incident in my life has proved to be one which las afforded me the purest happineirs for that infataas


now


marie


tears filled tihe


eyes of m de fave rolles


your confidence he said ivould call for an etial display on my part


but alais


iny griefs are of a more negative kind


i was thinkiuig at the time of yotur arrival of the circumstances alttending the departure of my daughter cecile for


england


i was tlheri with the royalist liarty in la vendee


wvhen the calamities of civil war were falling around mne i felt that duty required me to stand firm but i also saw that france was not a place of safety fornmy daughter


i madenrraogements for herpassage to lgndoniin one ofthse armed vessels which suppliedus wilith the munitions bfjvar


she arrived safe but reverses attended our flag and i was taken prisoner


for five long years i lived in torturing fears for her safety all news of communi cation being cuit off


at length tie pro clamation of peace at once released me and enabled my daughter to return


but oh


how changed she was by griefa griefwhlich appears not to be extinguish able by the lapse of timue


the old man to conceal his emotion buried his face in his hands


cecile at this moment approached the door of thle room wherein her father and bernard were


sire was about to enter but seeing the abstracted airof the one and the emotion of tihe other she stopped transfixred to thespot


ah


my friend said bernard with out perceiving cecile such occurrences were but too frequent


onecaise which caime under my own observation shall never be blotted from my memory


a fathersimilarly circumstanced with your self sent hiis daughter to england


sihe was a good and gentlo creature and her hieast could but ill bear the shock of tak ing leave of hier parent and country


her life for several years afterwards was series of the most unmerited misfortunes


the ship in wtlich she embarked was wrecked on the etglish coast


through the intrepidity of one of tie seamen hovw ever thepoor exile was one of the saved


without money witlhout friends with out hope the honest sailor did not think he had completed his task when he had rescued her from the waves


lie con ducted her to hiis native village on the coast obtained a share in a fishing boat and before twelve months were over gaiued her consent to become his bride


but alas


johnsons fate was almost a couinterjnart of tlhat of dumentel


while in the enjoyment of his peacefil hiappi


ness the ruthless pressgang worse than our conscription invaded his dweliing he resisted declared that his house was his castle and in its defence struck the officer who led the gang


he was over powered and carried on board the tender lwhich lay off the coast


in thle middle of the night however he slipped his irons gotnoiselessly over the ships side and struck out for shore


he was a good swimmer hut the tide was ebbing faster than lihe could stem the current and the returning waters threw on shoje tihe dead body of the once gallant young seaman


next morning his wife was the first to discover it on the beach


long and dreadful was the illness she endured but the declaration of peace recalled her scattered senses and sihe recollected that she had a father chose situation might even hie worse thian her own


through the charity of a few kind friends site wai enabled to reach paris with her infant son then two years old it waslong be fore she could obtain tidings of her parent


during the interval she met with one friend in need a stranger who had heard of her history and who sup plied her necessities


her father had always been a stern and haughty man and when she was at last enabled to join him she fell into a most grievous error an error whichl embittered her life ever afterwards fearing to offend his pride of birth and ancient prejudices shie con cealed tile tfact of her marriage and in stead oftaking her son with liher placed him in a seminary in paris


no doubt she intended eventually to explain all but the path of dissimulation once entered upon is not easily abandoned


every succeeding day rendered the task more dificult and every day her remorse in creased


bernard stopped


his quick ear catched the sound of smothered sobs from the adjoining apartment and he had no doubt but that cecile had been a hearer of his recital


sthe colonel continued sitting in the same posture throughout and when bernard had finished he raised his haggard countenance and said i know not why your tale should move me so much i would feel as if i were the cruel father did i not know that cecile could not be the deceitful daughter


bernard fearing serious consequences to her who he was convinced had heard the conversation took his leave as early as possible and after administering a few words of comfort to that unfortunate woman returned to his own house cuapter viii


bernard on his return found ursule in a state of violent excitement


this is mcre than i can bear brother said she bitterly as soon as she saw him your authority is wanted here to reestablish quietness and good order


what has happened now asked bernard alarmed


thinge have happened which shall certainly make me leave your house


but what is it


explan yourself if you please


why miademoiselle marie has shut herself up in her chamber and she is so obstinate that she refuses to


come out even amy sqicitation s


well i ssllin g ing inthat to disturb good order or your own repose


patience brother


as to m eu gene i wished to talk to him in the lan guage of reason and prudence


i have been painting to him a frightful picture of the future which awaits him if he does not employ all his energy in van quisliing the passion which posseses him at last as a means of consolation and encouragement after enumerating to him the incontestable good qualities of my poor


dorohee i ventured to open up to him the possibility of an alliance honorable and advantageous


what do yon think was his answer


parbleu


if he didnt knock you down it was out of respectfor your sex and your age


he told me that there was no hope for him but in flight that he had re flected maturely on the matter and that his resolution was taken and he is at this moment in his apiartmet busy in preparation for his departure


can it be possible


what the devil business had yoti to talk to him about your dorothee


poor boy


iie is de termined then to go


i i believe it well


i can tollow at all events


at this moment a servant entered and presenteda letter to bernard which he hastiened to opein


the letter ran thus my father


the whole truthli is known i will not attempt to paint the state of my heart my suffering is dreadful


it would be in vain in thlis house in the presence of him of whom i dare not even pronounce thle name to attempt to overcome a criminal passon with strength to which i fedl unequal


my only hope of refuge is in a convent


refuse me not permission to hide my sorrow and my shame


your unfoiiunate daughter marie


bernard after having read the letter in a low tone commenced to read it again and repeated sjme of the phrases as if to demand from his sister an expla nation of their meaniug


her shame ia criminal love


the convent


and then she calls me hier father i


what the devil does all this mean


a second letter was brought in by the same domestic this one written by eugene was still more ilconic than that of marie


my father tomorrow i shall ube far distant from louvlers in a few days i shall be with the army int algiersl where i hope that in my first battle the first shot shall at once deliver me fron thlis lifoe and from a sinful sentiment which i do not know how otherwise to eradicate


in despair your son eugene


what is all this cried bernard furious with impatience i might as well knock my head against the wall as to try to fathom it


and you sister you stand there motionless and mute instead of making known to me the aolu tion of the enigma


how i after the explanation that i gave to you this morning after reading these two letters you still ask me to explainl


fathers are always blind


father i you also call me father


all the world is going mad in this house there is no one foolish but yourself who believed tlihat the secret of your being a father could echje such a vigi lent spirit as mine


instead of looking at me with an air of such wonderment conress that you have done wrong in withholding your confidence from your sister thank me for having enlightened your two children as to their real post tion and for having perhaps prevented a frightful and deplorable crime


bernaird now understood all and he that was usually so grave burst into a shout of laughter which lasted so long and was so noisy that ursule fled from his presence under the impression that her unhappy brother had lost his senses


chapter ix


the colonel was still sitting at the table his head buried in his hands as bernard had left him when cecile as if obeying a sudden inspiration entered the chamber noiselessly slowly approached and leaned her head upon the knees of her father


whliat is it you want my daughter why this supplicting posture


it is the posture most suitable for a sinful creature my father


what do you say


the hlstory which mr bernard re counted to you is mine i yours cried m de farerolles raising himself


miy father be kind be generous


leave me ivou have shamefullly deceived me


father


could i expose my child to your resentmentto your malediction


leave me i tell you


m de faverolles paced theroom with agitation


cecile remained on her knees


and wept bitterly


the colonel made a movement towards the door


cecile ut tered a cry of despair s father er iather


do sot


leave ma thus in my grilef or sdoisl seek not to restrain me unworthy daughter your tears can never bend my resolution


there is no pardon for you in my heart


it is not for myself that i implore pardon father but mercymercy for my son curse not my eugene


eugene cried the colonel was it eugene


and he once more commenced to pace the room and from time to time hie re peated eugene i eugene


from the contortion of his features from the irregularity of his steps from the stifled sighs which escaped from his breast it was easy to see that he was distracted between two opposing senti ments


all of a sudden he stopped and cried no i no


thd voice of prejudieo cannot splak so loud as the voice of nature i and turning towards cecile ly daughter you have overcome me it is i who supplicate your pardon for all that you have suffered


cecile threw herself into the arms of the colonel


once entered upon a resolution m de faverolles followed it up wthl all the ar


dour of an impatient man


he ordered his daughter to make her toilet donned his own best state dress and both repaired withoutt losing a mi nute to their friend bernard


here when m de praveroles and cecile made their appearance they found themselves as a consequence of a com plete explanation which apparently had just been made very much embarrassed between ursule who looked very dis concerted dorothee who was striking her foot upon the ground and looked pale with rage and eugene and marie who were shedding tears of joy


to complete the tableau the colonel advanced gravely towards bernard and said in a solemn tone my friend i i come to demand for my grandson eugene the handl of mia demoiselle marie your adopted daugh ter


the scene of happiness which followed may be imagined without the formality of description


next day the marriage contract was signed


whetn this ceremony was con cuded bernard took his sister aside and said to her ursule it is


fortunate that your cu riosity your conjectures and your love of taking dlid not compromise the hap piness of us all


god knows where despair might have driven these two poor chil dren if heaven had not protectedthem


blut such may not always be the case


i haveno doubt but your intentions were good but as a single indiscreet word may bring misery into a household sn as do not feel a wish to be separated fzonr marie and eugene i wish to pro vide


yourih a separate establishment vwhere you may enjoy yourself according to your taste for this purpose place two valuable properties at your disposal one of which you may if you thnk pro per bestow upon your female confidant as some consolation for lier disappoint ment in the designs that you chose to make for her


llademoiselle


ursule bit her lips in derpite but she could not find words to reply


fur years has passed since then not a single cloud has yet obscured the hap piness of eugene and marie


i the colonel who has finished and printed his memoirs occupies his leisure hours in jumping on his knees two charming infants the possessionof whioh are some times disputed by cecile and sometimes by tlheexcellent bernard


mademoiselle ursale retired to a neigh bouriug village where in the memory of man there herer existed any strife and where all the inhabitants dwelt in the nost blissful ignorance from the mayor down tothe gravedigger


as to dorothee notwithstanding her dowry se has not yet had the good for


tune tofind a husband


the mysteries of paris


continued


chapter xii


the adventurbabs


we will now cast a retrospective glance on the seytonsimportant personages in this history


thelen seyton now about thirtyseven years of age was of excellent scotch family


in her infancy the absurd pre dictions of an old highlander her nurse had aroused to madness the two great faults of helenpride and ambition


the young girl lent a willing ear to the pre dictions of her nurse which promised her no less than the destiny of a sovereign princess


in corroboration of this ambi tious folly she learned from history that a fortuneteller had also promised a crown to the beautiful and excellent creole who was once seated on the throne of france and who was queen by her charms and good


ness as others are by their grandeur and majesty


strange to say her brother was just as superstitious encouraged these foolish hopes and had dedicated his life to the realization of this dreama dream as dazzling as it was foolish


at the age of sixteen helen became an orphan and soon afterwards she and her brother visited the continent in pursuit of her visionary scheme


with the assistance of the almanac of gotha for the year of grace seyton made an alphabetical list with their ages of all the unmarried kings and sovereign highnesses of europe


the germanic confederation furnished above all a numerous contingency of young presumptive sovereigns


hielen was a protestant and her brother was not igno rant of the facility of the lefthanded


ger man marriages marriages otherwise legiti mate and to which he would be resigned for his sister in the last extremity


it was then resolved between them that ger manyshould be the first field of their ope rations


after a sojourn of six months in paris hlelen could compete with any parisienne in the piquante grace of her manner the charm of her gaiety the provoking naivet of the glance of her eye and the ingenuity of her coquetry at once chaste and impas


sioned


finding his sister sufficiently armed seyton set out with her for germany fur nished with excellent letters ofintroduction


the first state of the germanic confede ration which was found on their itinerary was the graudduchy of gerolstein thus designated in the diplomatic and infallible almanac of gotha for the year


genealogy of the sovereigns of europe and of their families


oerolstein


grand duke maximilian rodolpheborn the th december


succeeded his father charles frederick rodolphe the st april


gustavus rodolphe his son born th april


seyton had sense enough to inscribe first on his list the youngest of the princes whom he desired for his brotherinlaw thinking that extreme youth was more easily seduced than riper age


and be sides they had been furnished with intro ductions to the reigning grandduke of gerolstein by the old marquis dhiarville infatuated like everybody else with helen whose beauty grace and charming manners he never could sufficiently admire


the arrival of the young scotch girl was quite an event in this little german court calm simple serious and so to speak pa triarchal


the grand duke the best of men governed his state with paternal kind ness


the population of this principality so industrious and sedate so frugal and religious presented the ideal type of the german character


some days after the arrival of the sey tons itodolphe had set out on a tour of in spection accompanied by an old aidede camp and his faithful tutor sir walter murphy


this absence doubly favorable to the views of helen permitted her to dispose at her ease of the threads of the net she was warping without being re etrained by the presence of the young prince whose admiration too open might have awakened the fears of the grand duke


rodolphe during his childhood had been of a very frail constitution and his father having formed a favorable opinion of the english mode of training youth and hoping by a system of physical education to im prove his constitution was fortunate in procuring a man worthy and capable of undertaking the task


sir walter murphy a fine specimen of a yorkshire country gentleman was residing at gerolstein having left england for reasons of a political nature


the course he pointed out to the young duke answered perfectly the views of the father


sir walter murphy and his pupil lived for several years in a small tarm situated in the midst of the woods some leagues distant fromn tihe city of ge rolstein in a most salubrious and pictu resquc position


by judicious training rodolphe quickly acquired health of both body and mind


he becamne robust active and hardy


his sympathetic mind too was not neglected but became all that was great and good repugnant to all that was wicked and bad


ilis task thius admirably fulfilled the knight recalled to england by important business left germany for some time to thie great regret of riodolphe who loved him tenderly


sir walter hiad agreed to return and fix himself permanently at gerolsteiu as soon as ite could arrange some important affairs he hoped not to be absent more than one year


reassured concerning the healtft of hiis son thie grand duke thought seriously of his future education


a certain abbe polidori a distinguished physician learrted in the study of thie sciences was intrustcd with the cultivation of this rich but virgin soil so perfectly prepared by murphy


thlis time thie chloice of the grantl duke was unfortunate


thie choice of a catholic priest as a preceptor for a protestant prince was an innovation very much dis approved of by many and thbught to be of ceil omen for the education of rodoplte


polidori was an impious imposter a hy pocrite a sacriligious despiser of all that is held most sacred among men full of cun ninr and address c ncealing the most dan gerous immorality the most frightful scep ticism under a pious and austere exterior exaggerating a false christian humility to conceal his insinuating suppleness


with a profound knowledge of mankind or rather experience in the baser passions of mankind the abbe polidori was the most detestable mentcr that could have been given to a young man


eighteen months had passed and mur phy had not yet returned although he announced his speedy arrival


when ro dolpbes first repugnance to his tutor was conquered by the obseqiousess of the abbe ie profited by the scientific attainments of his preceptor and acquired if not a very extensive education at least a superficial knowledee which joined to a naturally quick and sagacious understanding allowed him to pass for being much better in structed than he really was


sir walter murphy returned from eng land with his family and wept for joy on embracing his old pupil


at the end of sore days without being able to find out the reason of a change which deeply grieved him the worthy squire found iodolphe cold and constrained towards him and even ironical when he recalled to him their rude and hardy life


certain of the natural goodness of ihert of the young prince murphy believed him for the moment per verted by the pernicious influence of the abbe whom he detested from instinct


the priest very much vexed at the re turn of murphy whose frankness he dreaded as well as his good sense and penetration had only one thought which was to ruin him in the estimationof rodolphe


some days after the establishment of helen seyton at thecourt of the grandduke her brother became very intimate with po lidori


this priest had a natural almost involuntary affinity for rogues and scoun drels thus without positively finding out the object of the seytons he found himself attracted towards them by sympathy which led him to suppose some sinister design


some questions of seyton on the character of rodolphe soon enlightened him as to the views of the brother and sister only he did not give the young girl credit for views so completely ambitious


the ar rival of this charming girl appeared to the priest na a lucky hit


rodolphe had his imagination inflamed with idle fables of love helen should be the ravishing reality which should replace such charming dreams for thought the priest before arriving at the choice of pleasure or variety in volup tuousness one begins almost always by a unique and romantic attachment


to direct prepare this influence and to make use of it to ruin murphy


for ever was the plan of the priest


like a cunning man he made the two ambitious pretenders understand that they must treat with him being alone respon sible to the grandduke for the private life of the young prince


at the return of ro dolphe and the knight all three united by their common interests were tacitly leagued against sir walter murphy theirredoubt able enemy


as was expected rodolphe became madly in love with helen while she


with her brothers and the abbes assistance so managed the affair that in a short time she was privately married to ltodolphe


for some months rodolphe was the happiest of men


soon however helens appearance gave warning that heramarriage could not be much longer kept secret


we will relate at another time the con sequences ot the discovery which led to terrible and great events


but we will now say what the reader has doubtless sus pectedthat la goualeusevas the fruit of this unhappy marriage was the daughter of rudulphe and helenand that both of them thought her dead


chapter xili the ball room


we must not forget that rodolphe after having visited the house in the rue du temple had returned home and that he intended the same evening to attend a ball given by the ambassadress of england


jit is to this fete we will follow his high ness the reigning grandduke of gerolstein gustavus rodolphe travelling in france under the title of the count de duren at eleven oclock in the evening a swiss in grand livery opened the door of an hotel in the rue de plunct to let pass a magni


ficent berlin drawn by two horses with long manes and of the largest size


the lamps shed a vivid light in the interior of this vehicle lined with satin where could have been seen rodolpho seated on the right having on the left the baron de grann and opposite the faithful murphy


i am really quite happy said rodolphe for the good news that madame georges gives me concerning my poor little protege of the boqueval farm


were itnot for the a idness which overwhelms this unfortunate child she is much better and speaking of la goualeuse acknowledge sir walter murphy added rodolphe smiling that if one of your acquaintances of the cit should see you thus disguised valiant coalman she would be much astonished


my lord i think that your highness would cause the same surprise if you were to goto night to the rue du temple and make a friendly visit to madame pipelet


your highness is i dare hope said the baron de grann satisfied with the infor mation of my secret agent yes said rodolphe even more than i expected


then alter a moments silence and to drive away the painful thoughts which were caused by his fears for iftadame dharville he continued in a more cheer ful tone i must avow that i find enjoyment in these contrasts one day a fan painter sitting down in a dirty room in the tapis


franc this morning as a clerk offering a glass of wine to madame pipolet and to night one of the priveleged dei gracid who reign in this lower world


after some further conversation murphy asked is your highness certain that it is polidori whom you have discovered dis guised as a quack


s doubt it no longer since you liave been advised that he has been in paris for some time


si had omitted to speak of him my lord said murphy sadly because i know how odious the recollection of this priest is to your hligbness a shade of gloom overspriod the features of rtodolphe and buried in sad reflections he remainned silent until the carriage on tered into the courtyard of the embassy


lights gluamed from every window of this immense hotel a row of servants extended from the doorway and antechambers to toe waitingroom


all was arranged in a splendid and royal manner


rodolphe at this time was about thirty six years of age but the perfect regularity of his features his air of affable dignity would always have rendered him extremely remarkable even if these advantages had not been enhanced by his august rank


when he appeared in the saloon of the em bassy he had no longer the blustering look the quick and bold bearing of the conqueror of the chourineur he was no longer the merry clerk who sympathised so gaily with the misfortunes of madame pipelet


he was a prince in the poetic ideality of the word


it is not our intention to give a detailed account of the occurrences at the ball but merely to relate some of the incidents con nected with our narrative


rodolphe had been but a short tine present when helen seyton made her appearance he b owever easily managed to avoid her


rodolphe fatigued with the amusement of the ball and reflecting on the strange rencontres that chance had brought about descended into the garden the supper hour had arrived the saloons were almost deserted the most retired spot in the conservatory was in the midst of some shrubbery at the angle of two walls which an enormous banona surrounded with climbing plants almost entirely concealed


a small side door hidden by the trellis and leading to the refreshment room by a long corridor was half open inot far from this tree


concealed by this screen of verdure ro dolphe seated himself on this spot


he was for some moments plunged in a profound reverie when his name pronounced by a well known voice made him shudder


helen seated on the other side of the foliage was talking in english with her brother


rodolphe listened attentively to a conversation in the course of which he learned the particulara of a diabolical plot against the character and happiness of the marchioness dharville who was supposed by helen to be her rival in the affections of rodolphe


it was finally arranged be tween helen and her brother that the mar chioness shoud be induced to visit m charles roberts at the house in the rue du temple under the pretence that he had important revelations to make concerning her fhmily and that in the meantime the marquis should be informed of his wifes visit so as to rouse his jealousy and ef


fectually to ruin her in his eyes as well as in the estimation of rodolphe


wishing at all hazardsto inform ma dame dharville of the danger which she ran rodolphe


left the garden without wait ing the end of the conversation he had just heard


had he waited longer he would have heard the details of a plot hatched against fleur de marie and the imminent peril which menaced this young girl


not withstanding his efforts rodolphe unfor tunately was not able to save the mar chioness as he had hoped


she had taken her departure from the ball and all his efforts to find her were unavailing


ro dolphe was in despair


he had wisely thought that he should first of all advise the marchioness of the treason to which she would be a victim


he was too late the infamous letter was sent to the marquis at one hour after midnight


chapter iv


the four tailoresses


long before the brassplate of tad caster jeweller had flourished on the doorindeed through the occupancy of several previous tenantsthe misses pool the tailoresses and their bedridden mother had rented the same garret chambers


of this fact the owner of the house made a point when negociating the lease with an incoming tenant by placing it on the list of advantages just as he did good rooms registerstoves or smokeless chimneys


but beyond this fact of permanency little was known of them


they kept rigid counsel of their own affairs i made acquaintanceship neither in their house nor neighbourhood and with the habit of those who know the value of time were brief even in necessary words


still they were only specimens of a class to be found in all stations of london life namely earnest rigid conscientious workers people who work nobly for independence and asking favour of no one turn neither to the right nor left in pursuance of their duty


none in the house had seen inside their rooms saving mrs tadcaster and her report was a very favourable one though usually balanced by an illnatured remark or two so neat and nice and wellfurnished she would say and yet i dont like them


they are too still tongued for me i dont like people that are secret about even the cost of a herring or a loaf of bread


then the lot of money they earn and what they put by in the savings bankfor that is where im sure margaret goes so regu larly every monday morningmakes them so proud that i dont suppose theyd take a cup of water unless they might pay for it nor do i think they care for a cretur in the world unless its themselves or their old bedridden mother


there was truth in all these comments for mrs tadcaster was not the sort of woman to see the virtue of selfdenial and independence or to understand that the generality of her lodgers were not such as the tailoresses with their rigid habits of industry and filial obedience could consort with even were tme and inclination theirs


still if necessiity had begot a more than just exclusiveness want of sympathy or vital interest was not their sin


there could be no keener observers than the misses pool and though a lengthened experience of life in london had taught them the wisdom of neither seeking nor making acquain tanceship beyond the point of unavoidable necessity they took great and observant interest in all that passed within their notice and gossipped things over as they sat at work


their narrow world within itself was full of vitality


the normans had now been a month in their lodgings and the silent tailoresses took more than usual interest in all that concerned them


the extreme beauty and innocence of liddy norman won their hearts as with pretty childlike manners she passed them to and fro on the staircase and then the sententious almost stern good day of her father was also quite to their taste


they lamented amongst themselves that mrs norman should gossip so much with the landlady but they thought the evil would work out its own cure


she was a weak yielding goodnatuved woman they saw who fearing her husband unbent the more during his alfjiice both in indulging herself and her children


norman suspected somewhat of this but not to its full extent


in fact liddy was already her master not in the usually received acceptation of the term for the child had too sweet a disposition to understand or exert power of any wilful kind but if she wished for a thing or an indulgence she knew full well that if refused at first reiteration would be sure to win her mother over


with respect to his situation at newbud and stopps it had far exceeded normans expectations


when according to mr stopps term his quality was gauged it was found excellent


he not only proved to be a valuable workman far better than appeared at the nervous moment of first trial but readyhanded inventive and what was of much account to the firm as well as rare in a country trained artizan gifted with chastened and excellent taste


when to these advantages were added great steadiness and sobriety of conduct mr stopp no longer demurred to larger wages or even to mr newbuds suggestion that at fitting intervals they shotild be raised still further


in addition to this satis factory state of things miss chloe made many inquiries of her brother touching normanfor such was her customand finding his first prepossessions bore fruit she came down into the countinghouse one friday afternoon whilst the workmen were being paid and spoke to norman of his wife and children


you must excuse me she said in her kind gentle way and looking at her brother as she spoke as though he must assist her in her apology i do not ask these questions merely from curiosity but a little old woman like myself is sometimes able to be useful as i and my brother take great and sincere interest in the welfare of those who work for us


norman thanked her briefly and respectfully and answered her further questions especially about liddy


excuse me miss chloesaid


drayton an old and privileged servant of the firm but norman doesnt tell you half enough of his liddy


i am an old bachelor and dont as a usual take much to children but i do to her for she is one of the very loveliest and sweet esttempered little creatures my eyes ever beheld


to see her by herself is somethingto see her fondling giddy her magpie a great deal more


at this praise of his darling normans heart throbbed with delight


dear me said miss chloe in her kindly enthusiastic way i must know liddy in a few days time t shall be in a street near seeing mrs sturges in her lyingin and i will call norman and speak to your wife and little girl


be sure they are not put out or make preparation i am only an old lady and my visit a motherly sort of thing


robert norman thanked miss chloe gratefully for her thoughtful goodness was a constant topic of conversation in the workshop


so he went home with the pleasaut news and bid liddy and her mother hold themselves in readiness for miss newbuds visit


to be continued


life and adventures op


martin chuzzlewit


by c dickens esq chapter xxv


is ik paet profession alj and furnishes tub header with some valuable hints ik relation to the manage ment of a sice chamber


mr mould was surrounded by his household goods


he was enjoying the sweets of domestic repose and gazing on them with a calm delight


the day being sultry and the window open the legs of mr mould were on the window seat and his back reclined against the shutter


over his shining head a handkerchief was drawn to guard his baldness from the flies


the room was fragrant with the smell of puncli ii tumbler of which grateful compound stood upon a small round table convenient to the hand of mr mould so deftly mixed that as his eye looked down into the cool transparent drink another eye peering brightly from behind the crisp lemonpeel looked up at him and twinkled like a star


deep in he city and within the cheap stood mr moulds establishment


his harem or in other words the common sittingroom of lire


mould and family was at the back over the little countinghouse behind the shop abutting on a churchyard small and shady


in this domestic chamber mr mould now sat gazing a placid man upon his punch and home


if for a moment at a time he sought a wider prospect whence lie might return with freshened zest to these enjoyments his moist glance wandered like a sunbeam through a rural screen of scarlet lunners trained on strings before the window and he looked down with an artists eye upon the graves


the partner of his lire and daughters twain were mr moulds companions


plump as any partridge was each miss mould and mrs m was plumper than the two together so round and chubby were their fair proportions that they might have been the bodies once belong ing to the angels faces in the shop below grown up wiih other heads attached to make them mortal


even their peachy cheeks were puffed out and distended as though they ought of right to be performing on celestial trumpets


tbe bodiless cherubs in the shop who were de picted as constantly blowing those instruments for ever and ever without atiy lungs played it is to be presumed entirely by ear


mr mould looked lovingly at mrs mould who sat hard by and was a helpmate to him iu bis punch as in all other things


each seraph daughter too enjoyed her share of his regards and smiled upon him in return


so bountiful were mr moulds possessions and so large his stock n trade that even there within bis house hold sanctuary stood a cumbrous press whose mahogany maw was rilled with shrouds and winding sheets and other furniture of funerals


but though the misses mould had been brought up as one may say beneath its eye it had cast no shadow on their timid infancy or blooming youth


sporting behind the scenes of death and burial from cradlehood tbe misses mould knew better


hatbands to them were but so many yards of sit or crape the final robe hut such a quantity of linen


the misses mould could idealize a players habit or a courtladys petticoat or even an act of parliament


but they were not to be taken in by palls


they made them sometimes


the premises of mr mould were hard of bearing to the boisterous noises in the great main streets and nestled in a quiet corner where the city strife became a drowsy hum that sometimes rose and sometimes jell and sometimes altogether ceased suggesting to a thoughtful mind a stoppage in cheapside


the light came sparkling in among the scarlet runners as ii the churchyard winked at mr mould and said we understand each other and from the distant shop a pleasant sound arose of coffinmaking with a low melodious hammer rat tat tat tat alike promoting slumber and digestion


quite the buzz of insects aid mr mould closing his eyes in a perfect luxury


it puts one in mind of the sound of animated nature in the agricultural districts


its exactly like the woodpecker tapping


tbe woodpecker tapping the hollow elm tree observed mrs mould adapting tbe words of tbe popular melody to the description of wood commonly used in tbe trade


ha ha i laughed mr mould


not at all bad my dear


we shall be glad to hear from you again mrs h hollow elm tree eh i ha ha


i very good indeed


ive seen worse than that in the sunday papers my love


mrs mould thus encouraged took a little more of the punch and handed it to her daughters who dutifully followed tbe example of their mother hollow elm tree eh said mr mould making a slight motion with his legs in his en joyment of the joke


it s beech in the song


elm eh


yes to be sure


ha ha ha i upon my soul thats one of the best things i know he was so excessively tickled by the jest that he couldnt forget it but repeated twenty times elm ehf


ha ha ha


upon my life you know that ought to be sent to somebody who could make use of it


its one of the smartest things that ever was said


hollow i tree eh


of course


very hollow


ha ha ha i here a knook was heard at the room door


thats tacker i know said mrs mould by the wheezing he makes


who that hears him dow would suppose hed ever had wind enough to carry the feathers on his bead come in tacker


beg your pardon maam


said tacker


well i


so he is cried mould


oh i didnt see you i m sure said tacker looking in a little farther


you wouldnt be inclined to take a walking one of two wiih the plain wood and a tin plate i suppose


certainly not replied mr mould much too common


nothing to say to it


i told em it was precious low observed mr tacker


tell em to go somewhere else


we dont do that style of business here said mr mould


like their impudence to propose it


who is it


why returned tacker pausing thats where it is you see


its the beadles sonin law


the beadles soninlaw eh said mould


well i ill do it if the beadle follows in his cocked hat not else


we may carry it oft that way by looking official but itll be low enough then


his cocked hat mind


ill take care sir rejoined tacker


oh


mrs gamps below and wants to speak to you


tell mrs gamp to come up stairs snid mould


now mrs gamp whats your the lady in question wsb by this time in the doorway curtseying to mrs mould


at the same moment a peculiar fragrance was borne upon the breeze as if a passing fairy had hic coughed and had previously been to a wine vault


mrs gamp made no response to mr mould but curtseyed to mrs mould again and held up her hands and eyes as in a devout thanks giving that she looked so well


she was neatly but not gaudily attired in tbe weeds she had worn when mr pecksniff had tbe pleasure of making her acquaintance and was perhaps the turning of a scale more snuffy


there are some happy creeturs mrs gamp observed as time runs backards with and you are one mrs mould not that he need do nothing except use you in his most owldacious way for years to come im sure for young yon are and will he


i says to mrs harris mrs gamp continued only tother day the lust monday evening fortnight as ever dawned upon this piljians projiss of a mortal wale i says to mrs harris when she says to me years and our trials mrs gamp sets marks upon us all say not tbe words mrs harris if you and me is to continual friends lor sech is not tbe case


mrs mould i soys making so free i will confess us use the name she curtseyed here is one of them that goes agen the obserwution straight and never mrs harris whilst ive a drop of breath to draw will i set by and not stand up dont think it ast your pardon maam says mrs harris and i humbly grant your grace for it ever a woman lived as would see her filler creeturs into fits to serve her friends well do i knew that womans name is sairey gamp


at lliib point she was fain to stop for breath and advantage may be taken of the circum stance to mate that a fearful mystery sur rounded this lady of the name of harris whom no one in the circle of mrs gamps acquaint ance bad ever seen neither did any human being know her place of residence though mrs gamp appeared on her own showing to be in constant communication with her


there were conflicting rumours on the subject but the prevalent opinion was that she was a phantom of mrs gamps braiu as messrs doe and roe are fictions of the law created for the express purpose of holding visionary dialogues with her on all manner of subjects and invariably winding up with a compliment to the excellence of her nature and likenays what a pleasure said m rs gamp with a tearful smile towards the daughters to see them two young ladies as i kuowd afore a tooth in their pretly heads was cut and have many a day seen ah the sweet creeturs


i playing at berryins down in tbe shop and follerin the orderbook to its long home in the iron safe


i


but thats all past and over mr mould as she tlius got in a carefully regulated routine to that gentleman she shook her head waggishly thats all past and over now air


ant it


changes mrs gamp changes i returned the undertaker


more changes too to come afore weve done with changes sir said mrs gamp nodding yet more waggishly than before


young ladies with suuh faces thinks of some thing else besides berryins dont they sir


i am sure i dont know mrs gamp said mould with a chuckle


not bad in mrs gamp my dear


oil yes you do know sir said mrs gamp and so does mrs mould your ansome pardner too sir and so do i


although i he blessing of a daughter was deniged me which if we had had one gamp would certainly have drunk its little shoes off its feet as wiih our precious boy he did and afterwards send the child a errand to sell his wooden leg for any money it would fetch as matches in the rough and bring it home in liquor which wab truly done beyond his years for evry individgle penny that child lost at toss or buy for kidney ones and come home arterwards quite bold to break tbe news and offering to drown himself if that would be a satisfaction to his parents


oh yes you do know sir said mrs gamp wiping her eye with her shawl and resuming the thread of her discourse


theres something besides births and berryins in the newspapers ant there mr mould


mr mould winked at mrs mould whom he had by this time takeu on his knee and said no doubt


a good deal more mrs gamp


upon my lite mrs gamp is very far from had my sear lf


theres marryings


ant there sir said mrs gamp while both the daughters blushed and tittered


bless their precious hearts and well they knows itl


well you knowd it too and welldid mrs mould when you was at their time of life


i but my opinion is youre all of one age now


for as to you and mrs mould sir ever having grandchildren


oh i fie fie nonsense mrs gamp replied the undertaker


devilish smart though


capilau this was in a whisper


my dear aloud again mrs gamp can drink a glass of rum i dare say


sit down mrs gamp sit down


mrs gamp took the chair that was nearest the door and casting up her eyes towards the ceiling feigned to be wholly insensible to the fact of a glass of rum bring in preparation until it was placed in her hand by one of the young ladies when she exhibited the greatest surprise a thing sbe said as hardly ever mrs mould occurs with me unless it is when i am iudispoged and find my half a pint of porter settling heavy on the chest


mrs harris often and ofteu says to me sairey gamp she says you raty do amaze roe


i mrs harris i says to her why so


give it a name i beg


telling the truth tbeu maam says mrs harris


and shaming him as shall be nameless betwixt you and me never did i thiok till i knowd you as any woman could sicknurse and monthly lidewaye on tbe little that you takes to drink


mrs harris i says to her none on us knows what we can do till we tries and wunst when me and gamp kept ouse i thought co too


but now i says my halfapiut of porter fully satisfies perwisin mrs harris that it is brought reglar and drawd mild


whether i sicks or monthlies maam i bope i does my duty but i am but a poor woman and i earns my living bard therefore i do require it which i makes con fession to be brought reglar and drawd mild


the precise connexion between these obser vations and the glass of rum did not appear for mrs gamp proposing as a toast the best of lucks to all took off the dram in quite a scientific manner without any further remarks


and whats your news mrsgampt asked mr mould again as that lady wiped her lips upon her shawl and nibbled a corner of a soli biscuit which she appeared to carry in her pocket as a provision against contingent drams


usual he ant no better and he ant no worse


i take it very kind in the gentleman to have wrote up to you nnd said let mrs gamp take care of him till i come home but every think he does is kind


there ant a many like him


if there was we shouldnt want no churches


what do you want to speak to me about mrs gamp t said mr mould coming to the point


jest this sir mrs gamp returned with thanks to you for asking


there is a gent sir at the bull in holborn as has been took ill there and is bad abed


they have a day nurse as was recommended from bartholomews and well i knows her mr mould her name bein mrs prig the best of creeturs


but she is otherways engaged at night and they are in wants of nightwatching consequent she says to them having reposed tbe greatest friendli ness in me for twenty year the soberest person going and the best of blessings in a sick room is mrs gamp


send a boy to kingsgaleslreet sod snap her up at any price for mis gamj is worth her weight and more in goldian gui neas


my landlord brings the message dnwn to me and says bein in a light place where you are and this job promising so well why not unite the two


no sir i says nut unbeknown to mr mould and therefore do not think it


but i will go to m r mould i says and ast him if you like


here she looked sideways at tbe undertaker and came to a stop


nightwatching ch said mr mould rubbing his chin


from eight oclock till eight sir i will not deceive you mrs gamp rejoined


and then go back eh said mr mould


quite free then sir to attend to mr cbuffey


his nays bein quiet and his hours early hed be abed sir nearly all tbe time


i will not deny said mrs gamp with meekness that i am but a poor woman aud that the money is a object but do not let that act upon you mr mould


rich folks may ride on camels but it ant so easy for em to see out of a needles eye


that is my comfort aud


i hope i knows it


well mrs gamp observed mould dont see any particular objection to your earn ing an honest penny under such circumstances


i should keep iquiet i think mib gamp


i wouldnt mention it to mr chuzzlewit on his returu for instance unless it were necessary or he asked you poiutblank


the very word was on my lips sir mrs gamp rejoined


suppoging that the gent should die


i hope i might lake the liberty of saying as i knowd some one in the under taking line and yet give no offence to you sir


certainly mrs gamp said mould with much condescension


you may casually re mark in such a case that we do tbe thing pleasantly and in a great variety of styles and are generally considered to make it as agree able as possible to the feelings of tbe survivors


but dont obtrude it dout obtrude it


easy easy i


my dear you may as well give mrs gump a card or two if you pleuse


mrs gamp received them and scenting no more rum in the wind for the bottle was lucked up again rose to take her departure


wishing evry happiness to this happy family said mrs gamp with all my heart


good arternoon mrs mould it i was mr mould i should be jealous of you maam and im sure if i was you i should be jealous of mr mould


tut tut


bab bah


go alone mrs gamp cried the delighted undertaker


as to the young ladies said mrs gamp dropping a curtsey blesb their sweet looks how they can ever reconsize it with their duties to be so grown up with such young parents it ant lor sech as me to give a guess at


nonsense nonsense


be off mrs gamp i cried mould


but in the height of his grati fication he actually pinched mrs mould ab


he said it


ill tell you what my dear he observed when mrs gamp bad at last withdrawn and shut the door thats a very shrewd woman


thats a woman whose intellect is immensely superior to her station iu life


thais a woman who observes and reflects in an uncommon manner


shes the sort of woman now said mould drawing his silk handkerchief over bis head again and composing himself for a nap one would almost be disposed to bury for nothing and do it neatly


too mrs mould and her daughters fully con curred in these remarks the subject of which had by this time reached the street where sbe experienced so much inconvenience from the air that she was oblidged to stand under an archway fur a short time to recover herself


even after this precaution she walled so un steadily as to attract tbe compassionate regards of divers kindhearted boys who took the live liest interest in her disorder and in their simple language bade her be of good cheer for she was only a little screwed


whatever she was or whatever name the vocabulary of medicul science would have be stowed on her malady m rs


gamp was perfectly acquainted with the way home again and arriving at the house of anthony cbuzzlewit son lay down to rest


remaining their until seven oclock in the evening and then per suading poor old chuff to betake himself to bed she sallied forth upon her new engage ment


first she went to her private lodgings in kingsgatestreet for a bundle of robes and wrappings comfortable in the night season and then repaired to the bull in holborn which she reached as the clocks were striking eight


ae she turned into the yard she stopped for the landlord landlady and head chamber maid were all on the threshold together talk ing earnestly with a young gentleman who seemed to have just come or to be just going away


the first word that struck upon mrs gamps ear obviously bore reference to the patient aud it being expedient that all good attendants should know as much as possible about the case on which their skill is brought to bear mrs gamp listened as a matter of duty no better then v observed the gentleman


worse said the landlord


much worse added the landlady oh i a deal ladder cried the chamber maid from the hackground opening her eyes very wide and shaking her head


poor fellow i said the gentleman i am sorry to hear it


the worst of it is that i have no idea what friends or relations be has or where they live except that it certainly is not in london


the landlord looked at the landlady the landlady looked at the landlord and tbe cham bermaid remarked hysterically that of all the many wague directions she had ever seen or beerd of and they wasnt few in an hotel that was the waguest


the fact is you see pursued the gentle man as i told you yesterday when you sent to me i really know very little about him


e were schoolfellows together but since that time i have only met him twice


on both oc casions i wbb iu london for a boys holiday having come up for a week or so from wilt shire and lost sight of him again directly


the letter bearing my name and address which you found upon bis table and which led to your applying to me is in answer you will observe to one he wrote from this bouse tbe very day he wab taken ill making an appoint ment with him at his own request


here is his letter if you wibli to see it


the landlord read it tbe landlady looked over him


the chambermaid in the back ground made out as much of it as she could and invented the rest believing it all from that time forth as a positive piece of evidence


he has very little luggage you say


observed tbe gentleman who was no other than our old irlend john westlock


nothing but a portmanteau said the landlord aud very little iu it


a lew pounds in hit purse though


yen


its sealed up and iu the cavhboz


i made a memorandum of the amount which youre welcome to see


t


nothing can be done just now beyond giving him his drinks regularly and having him care fullyattended to nothing more can be said that i know of until he is in a condition to give us some information


can you suggest anything else


nno replied tbe landlord except except whos to pay i suppose said john


why hesitated the landlord it would be aa well


quite as well said tbe landlady


not forgetting to remember the servants said tbe chambermaid in a bland whisper


it is but reasonable i fully admit said john westlock


at all events you have the stock in hand to go upon for the present and i will readily undertake to pay the doctor and tbe nurses


ah i cried mrs gamp


a rayal gen tleman


i she groaned her admiration so audibly that they all turned round


mra


gamp felt tbe necessity of advancing bundle in band and introducing herself


the nightnurse she observed from kingsgatestreet well beknown to mrs prig the daynurse and the best of creeturs


how is the poor dear gentleman tonight


if he ant no better yet still that is what must he expected and prepared for


it ant the fust time by many a score maam dropping a curlesy to the landlady that mrs prigand me has nussed together turn and turn about one off one on


we know each others ways and oltn gives relief when others fail


our charges is but low sir mrs gamp addressed herself to john on this head cousiderin the nater of our painful dooty


if they wos made accordiu to our wishes they would be easy paid


regarding herself as having now delivered her inauguration address mrs gamp curt seyed all round and signified her wish to be conducted to the scene of her official duties


the chambermaid led her through a variety of intricate passages to the top of the house and pointing at length to a solitary door at the end of a gallery informed her that yonder was the chamber where the patient lay


that done she hurried off with all the speed sbe could make


mrs gamp traversed the gallery in a great heat from having carried her large bundle up so many stairs and tapped at the door which was immediately opened by mrs prig bon neted and shawled and all impatience to he gone


mrs prig was of the gamp build but not so fat and her voice was deeper and more like a mans


she bad albo a beard


i began to think you warut a coming


mrs prig observed in some displeasure


it shall be made good fciinorrow night said mrs gamp honorable


i had to go and fetch my things


she had begun to make sign of enquiry in reference to the po sition of the patient and his overhearing them fur there was a screen before the door when mrs prig settled that point easily


obi she siiid aloud lies quiet hut his wits is gone


it ant no matter wot you say


anythin to tell afore you goes my dear asked mrs gamp setting her bundle down inside the door aud looking affectionately at her partner


the pickjed salmon mrs prig replied is quite delicious


i can partickler recom mond it


dout have nothink to say to the cold meat for it tastes of the stable


the drinks is all good


mrs gamp expressed herself much gratified


tlie physic and them things is on the drawers and mankleshelf said mrs prig cursorily


he took his last slime draught at seven


the easychair ant soft enough


youll want his piller


mrs gamp thanked her for these bints and giving her a friendly good night held the door open until she hud disappeared at the other end of the gallery


having thub per formed tlie hospitable duty of seeing her safely off she shut it locked it on the inside took up her bundle walked round the screen and entered on her occupation of the sick chamber


a little dull but not so bad as might be mrs gamp remarked


im glad to see a parapidge in case of tire and lots of roofs and chimleypois to walk upon


it will be seen from these remarks that mrs gamp was looking outof the window


when she had exhausted the prospect sbe tried the easy chair which she indignantly deciored was harder than a brickbadge


next she pur sued her researches among the physicbottles glasses jugs and teacups and when she had entirely satisfied her curiosity on all these sub jects of investigation she untied her bonuet strings and strolled up to the bedside to take a look at the patient


a young man dark and not illlooking with long black hair that seemed the blacker for the whiteness of the bedclothes


h is eyes were partly open and he never ceased to roll his head from side to side upon the pillow keeping his body almost quiet


he aid not utter words but every now and then gave vent to bn expression of impatience or fatigue sometimes of surprise and still his restless head oh weary weary hour i went to and fro without a moments intermission


mrs gamp solaced herself with a pinch of snuff and stood looking at him with her head inclined a little sideways as a connoisseur might gaze upon a doubtful work of art


by degrees a horrible remembrance of one branch of her calling took possession of the woman and stooping down she pinned his wandering arms against his sides to see how he would look if laid out as a dead mm


hideous as it may appear her fingers itched to compose his limbs in that last marble attitude


ah i said mrs gamp walking away from the bed hed make a lovely corpse


she now proceeded to unpack her bundle lighted a caudle with the aid of a firebox on the drawers filled a small kettle aa a pre liminary to refreshing herself with a cup of tea iu the course of the night luid what she called a little hit of fire for the same philanthropic purpose and also set forth u small teaboard that nothing might be wanting for her com fortable enjoyment


these preparations occu pied so long that when they were brought to a conclusiun it was high time to think about supper so sbe rang the bell and ordered it


to be continued


chapter xx


is a chapter of lvb


pecksnifp said jonas taking off liis hat to see that the black crape baud was all right and finding that it was putting il on again complacently what do you mean to give your daughters when they marry i


my dear mr jonas cried the affectionate parent with an ingenuous smile whatavcry


now dont you mind whether its a singu lar enquiry or a plural one retorted jonas eyeing pecksniff with no great favour but answer it or let it alone


one or the other


hum


the question my dear friend said mr pecksniff laying his hand tenderly upon his kinsmans knee is involved in many considerations


whut would i give them f lib


aim what would you giveem


repeated why that said mr pecksniff would naturally depend iu a great measure upon the kind of husbands they might choose my dear young friend


jonas was evidently disconcerted and at a loss how to proceed


it was a good answer


il seemed a deep one but such is the wisdom of simplicity


i


my standard for the merits i would require in a soninlaw snid mr pecksniff after a short silence is a high one


forgive me my dear jonas he added greatly moved if i say that you have spoiled me and made it h fanciful one an imaginative one a prismati cally tinged one if i may be permitted to call it so


what do you mean by that


growled i jonas looking at him with increased disfavour


indeed my dear friend said sir peck always a royal mint with patent machinery to work its metal into current coin


sometimes it throws it out in strange forms not easily re cognised as coin at all


butiussterlihggold


it lias at least that merit


it ib sterling gold


is it grumbled jonab with a doubtful shake of the head


ay i said mr pecksniff warming niili his subject it ib to be plain with you mr jonas if i could find two such eonsinlaw as you will one day make to some deserving man capable of appreciating a nature such as yours i would forgetful of myself bestow upon my daughters portions reaching to the very utmost limit of my means


this was strong language and it was earnestly delivered


but wlio con wonder that such a man as mr pecksniff after all he had seen and heard of mr jonas should be strong and earnest upon such a theme a theme that touched even the worldly lips of undertakers with the honey of eloquence i jonas was silent and looked thoughtfully at the landscape


for they were seated on the outside of the coach at the back and were travelling down into the country


he sccom


f ponied mr pecksniff home fora few days change of air and scene after his recent trials


well he said at lust with captivating bluntness suppose you got one such souin law as me what then


mr pecksniff regarded him at first with in expressible surprise then gradually breaking into n sun of dejected vivacity said then well i kuotv whose husband lie would be i


whose i asked jonas drily


my eldest girls mr jonas replied peck sniff with moistening eye


my dear cherrys my staff my bcrip my trewura sir jonas


a hard struggle but it is in the nature of things i must one day part with her to a husband


i know it my dear friend


i am prepared for it


iicod i youve been prepared for that a pretty long time i should think said jonas


many have sought to berr her from me said mr pecksniff


all have failed


i never will give my hand pnpa those were her words


unless my heart is won


she has not been so happy as she used to be of late


i juut know why


again


mr jonas looked at i lie landscape then at the coachman then ut the baggage on the roof finally at mr pecksniff


i suppose youll have to part with the other one some of these days


he observed as he caught that gentlemans eye


probably said the parent


years will tame down the wildness of my foolish bird and then it will be caged


but cherry mr jonas cherry


oh ah interrupted jonas


years have made her all right enough


nobody doubts that


but you havent answered what i asked you


of course youre not obliged to du it you know if you dont like


youre the best judge


there was a warning sulkiness in the man ner of this speech which admonished mr pecksniff that his dear friend was nut to be trifled with or fenced off and that he must either return a straightforward reply to his question or plainly give him to understand that he declined to enlighten him upon the subject lo which it referred


mindful in this dilemma of the caution old anthony had givcu him almost with his latest breath he resolved to speak to the point and told air


jonas enlarging upon the communication us a proof of his great attachment and confidence that iu the vase he had put to wit in the event of such a man ab


he proposing for his daughters hand lie would endow her with a fortune of four thousand pound


i should sadly pinch and cramp myself to do so was his fatherly remark but that would be my duty and my conscience would reward me


for myself my conscience ismy bank


i have a trifie invested there a mere trifle mr jonas but i prize it as a store of value i assure you


the good mans enemies would have divided upon this question into two parlies


one would have asserted without scruple that if mr pecksniffs conscience was his bank and he kept a running account there he must have overdrawn it beyond all moral means of com pulation


the other would have contended that it was a mere fictitious form a perfectly blank bnok or one in which entries were only made with a peculiar kind of invisible ink to become legible at some iudefinate time and that he never troubled it at all


it would sadly pinch oud cramp me my dear friend repeated mr pecksniff but providence pel bnps i may be permitted to say a special providence has blessed my en deavours and i could guarantee to make the sacrifice


a question of philosophy arises here whether mr pecksniff had or bad not good reason to say that he was specially patronised and en couraged iu his undertakings


all his life long he had been walking up and down the narrow ways atd byeplaces with a hook iu one hand and a crook in the other scraping all sorts of valuable odds and ends into his pouch


now there being special providence iu the fall of a sparrow it follows so mr pecksniff might have reasoned perhaps that there must also be a special providence iu the alighting of the stone or stick or other substance which is aimed at the sparrow


and mr pecksniffs hook or crook having invariably knocked the sparrow on the head and brought him duwu that gentleman may have been led to consider himself is specially licensed to bag sparrows and as being specially seised and possessed of all the birds he had got together


that many undertakings national as well as individual bul especially the former are held to he spe cial ly brought to a glorious and successful issue which never could be so regarded on any other process of reasoning must he clear to all men


therefore the precedents would seem lo show that mr pecksniff had good argument for what lie said and might be permitted to say it and did not say it presumptuously vainly or arrogantly bui in a spirit of high faith und great ivisjum meriting ul praise


mr junas nut being much accustomed to perplex hia mind with theories of this nature expressed no opinion on the subject


nor did he receive his companions announcement with one solitary syllable good bad or indifferent


ue preserved his taciturnity fur a quarter of an hour at least und during the whole of that time uppeured to be steadily engaged in sub jecting some given amount to the operation of every kioun rule in figures adding to it taking from it multiplying it reducing it by long ond short divison working it by the rule of three direct and mverscd exchange or barter practice simple interest compound interest and other means of arithmetical cal culation


the result ol these labours appeared to be satisfactorily for when he did break silence it was as one who had arrived at some specific result und freed himself from a dis tressing sute of uncertainty


come old pecksuiffl such was his jocose uddress as he slapped that gentleman on iho back ut the end of the stage lets have something


with all my heart snid mr pecksniff


lets treat the driver cried jonas


if you think it wont hurt the man or render him discontented with his station ceiuinly liultered mr pecbbiiiff


jonas laughed at this und getting down from the coachtop with great alacrity cut a cumbersome kiud of caper in the road


after which he went into the publichouse and then ordered spirituous drink to sucb an extent that mr pecksniff had some doubts of his perfect sanity until jonas set tbein quite at rest by snying when the coach could wait no longer ive been standing treat for a whole week and more and letting you have all the deli cacies of the season


you shall pay for this pecksniff


it was not a joke either a mr pecksniff at first supposed for be went off to the coach without further ceremony and left his respected victim to settle the bill


but mr pecksniff wai a man of meek en durance and mr jonas was his friend


more over bis regard for flat gentleman was founded as we know on pure esteem and a knowledge of the excellence of his character


he came even went so far as to repeat the performance on a less expensive scale at the next alehouse


there was a certain wildnesb in the spirits of mr jonas not usually a part of his character which was far from being subdued by these means and for the rest of the journey he was so very buoyant it may be eairl boisterous that mr pecksniff had aorae difficulty in keep ing pace with him


they were not expected


oh dear


no i mr peckbniff had proposed in london lo give the girls a surprise and had said he wouldnt write a word to prepare them on any account in order that he and mr jonas might take them unawares and just see what they were doing when they thought that their dear papa was miles ami miles away


as a consequence of this playful device there was nobody to meet them ut the fingerpost but that was of small consequence for they had come down by the day coach nnd mr pecksniff had only a carpet bag while mr jonas had only a portmanteau


they took the portmanteau between them put the bag upon it and walked off up the lane without delay mr pecksniff already going on tiptoe as if without this precaution his fond children being then at the distance of a couple of miles or so would have some filial sense of his approach


it was a lovely evening in the springtime of the year and in the soft stillness of the twilightall nature was very calm and beautiful


the day had been fine and warm but at the coming on of night the air grew cool and in the mellowing distance smoke was rising gently from the cottage chimneys


there were a thousand pleasant scents diffused around from young leaves and fresh buds the cuckoo had been singing all day long and was but just now hushed the m


rurti lut


upturned first breath of hope to the first labourer after his garden withered was fra grant iu the evening breeze


it was a time when most men cherish good resolves add sorrow fur the wasted past when most men looking on the shadows as they gather think of that evening which must close on all aud that tomorrow which has none beyond


precious dull said mr jonns looking about


its enough tu make a man go me lancholy mad


we shall have lights and a fire soon ob served mr pecksniff


we shall need em by the time we get there said jonas


why the devil dont you talk


what are you thinking of


to tell you the truth mr jonas said pecksniff with great solemnity my mind was running at that moment on our late dear friend your departed father


mr jonas imaiediately letting his burden fall and said threatening uim with his haud drop that pecksniff


mr pecksniff not exactly knowing whether allusion was made to the subject or the port manteau stared at his friend iu unaffected sur prise


drop it i bay cried jonas fiercely


do jou hear


drop


it now and for ever


you had better i give you notice it was quite a mistake urged mr peck sniff very much dismayed though i admit it wub foolish


i might have known it was a tender string


dont talk to me about tender strings said jonas wiping his forehead with the cuff of his coat


im not going to be crowed over by you because i dont like dead company


m r pecksniff had got out the words crowed over mr jonus when that young man with a dark expression in his countenance cut him m ind be said i wont have it


i ad vise you not lo revive the subject neither to me nor anybody else


you can take a hint if you choose as well as another man


theres enough said about it


come aloug i taking up his part of the load again when he had said these words he hurried on so fast that mr pecksniff at the other end of the portmanteau found himself dragged forward in a very incouvenieutaud ungraceful manner to the great detriment of what is called by fancy geutlemen the bark upon his shins which were most unmercifully bumped against the hard leather and the iron buckles


in the course of a few minutes however mr jonas relaxed his speed and suffered his companion to come up with him aud to bring the port manteau into a tolerably straight position


it was pretty clear that he regretted his late outbreak and that he mistrusted its effect on mr pecksniff for as often as that gentleman glanced towards mr jonas he found mr jonas glancing at him which was a new source of embarrassment


it was but a shortlived one though for mr jonas soon began to whistle whereupon mr pecksniff taking his cue from his friend began to hum a tune me lodiously


pretty nearly there aint we


said jonas when this had lasted some time


close my dear friend said mr pecksniff


whatll they be doing do you suppose asked jonas


impossible to say cried mr pecksniff


giddy truants


they maybe away from home perhaps


i was going to he i he he


i was going to propose said mr pecksniff that we should enter by the hack way and come upon them like a clap of thunder mr jonas


it might not have been easy to decide in respect of tvhicu ol their inauifuld properties jonas mr pecksniff the carpetbag and the portmanteau could be likened to a clap of thunder


but mr jonas giving his assent to this proposal they stole round into the back yard aud sofily advanced towards the kitchen wiudow though which the mingled light of fire and caudle shone upon the darkening night


truly mr pecksniff is blrssed iu his chil dren iu one of them at any rute


the pru dent cherry staff and scrip and treasure cf her doting father there she sits at a little table white as driven snow before the kitchen fire making up accounts


see the neat maid as with peu iu hand and calculating look ad dressed towards the ceiling and bunch of keys within a little basket at her side she checks the housekeeping expenditure i from flatiron dishcover and warmingpan from pot and kettle face of brass footman and blackleaded stove bright glances of approbation wink and glow upon her


the very onions dangling from the beam mantle and shine like cherubs cheeks


something of the influence of those vegetables sinks into mr pecksniffs nature


he weeps


it is but for a moment and he hides it from the observation of his friend very carefully by a somewhat elabutate use of his pocket handkerchief in fact lor he would not have his weakness known


pleasant be murmured pleasant to a fathers feeliirgs


my dear girl thall we let her know we are here mr jonas


why i suppose you dont mean to spend the evening iu the stable or the coachhouse lie returned


that indeed is nol such hospitality as i would show to you my friend cried mr pecksniff pressing his hand


and then he took a long breath and tupped at the wiudow shouted with steutorian blaudness booh i cherry dropped her pen and screamed


but innocence is ever bold or should be


as they opened the door the valiant girl exclaimed iu a firm voice and with a presence of mind which even in thut trying moment did not desert her who are you f


what do you want


speak i or i will call pa


mr pecksniff held out his arms


she knew him instantly and rubhed into his foud em brace


it was thoughtless of us mr jonab it was very thoughtless said pecksniff smoothing his daughters hair


my darling do you see that i am not alone i not she


she had seen nothing but her father until now


she saw mr jonas now though and blushed and hung her head down as she gave him welcome


bul where was merry


mr pecksniff did not ask the question in reproach but in a vein of mildness touched with a gentle borrow


she was upstairs reading on the parlour couch


ah domestic details had no charm for her but call her down said mr pecksniff with i a placid reiignutim call her down my she was called and came all flushed and tumbled from reposing on the sofa but none the worse for that


no not at all


rather the better if onything


oh my goodness me i cried the nroli girl turning to her cousin when she had kissed her father on both cheeks and in her frolicsome nature had bestowed supernumerary salute upon the tip of his nose you here fright i


well im very thankful that you wont trouble me much


what i youre as lively as ever ore you v said jonas


oh youre a wicked one


i there go along i retorted merry pushing him away


im sure i dont know what i shall ever do if i have to see much of you


go along for gracious sake to be continued


chapter xi


more of the tadcastebs household


we have already said that no one knevr anything of the history of the yorks prior to their occupation of the jewellers firstfloor


they were londoners and had lived in london all their lives was quite evident from many circumstances


indeed mrs york had admitted as much to mrs tadcaster but beyond this and a few such simple facts that will be come current in every homehold tlieir history was a blank


they had taken the tadcasters lodg ings late one saturday evening had paid a weeks rent in advance and saii they were leaving their then abode on account of railway improvements that would necessitate their house being pulled down


they then gave their address in a distant street in the borough and be came mrs tadcasters lodgers that same night at a very late hour


many worldly possessions did not incumber them a very small box a few books a roll of music constituting such moveable riches as came with them in a cab


her suspicions raised by these signs of povertyfor mrs tadcaster had the usual landladys eye to the amount and character of her lodgers effectsshe repaired early on the following monday to the address given and found that the yorks had really lodged there a few weeks and had always paid their rent


this was all that could be learned and with this amount of information she had to be content


but one week followed another from this date and her rent be ing paid though irregularly and often with aparent difficulty mrs tadcaster ceased to trouble herself about he first floor lodgers antecedents and gossiped or quarrelled with mrs york by turns


on one point mrs tadcaster had no misgivings and this made the im penetrable mystery of their foregone lives the more passableshe felt sure that the yorks were marriedfor they were at incessant warfare he morose con temptuous or dogged as his humour prompted and she always jealous flip pant and captious


mrs tadcaster rea soned from a very good commonsense point of view when in moments of con fidential gossip she gave it as her opinion that such a man would certainly leave such a woman if he could whilst to this assertion she added the information that mr york was afraid of his wife and that childlike in appearance and ignorant and weak and tantalizing and jealoustem pered as she was she yet possessed some hidden source of mastery over him and could at any moment check him with the reins she held


from whence this hidden source of powej had sprung was amongst the other antecedents of their livesa hidden thing at least it was habitually exer cised and often with an obstinate malignity that baffles all description


as for the man he was both educated and intellectual


if the former did not reach the high standard he ostentatiously asserted it was at least far beyond the common average he knew something both of mathematics and the classics was not only well read in his own language but wrote it with ease and refined judg ment


he had toiled through many phi losophical treatises was conversant with the better class literature of the day but past erudition and present knowledge tended but to one resulta malignant disbelief in good human and divine a proneness to bitter judgment of all men and things a hatred of prosperity suc cess and industry when seen in others and worse than all a keen observer might detect though sought to be con cealed signs that a sardonic sort of pleasure was taken in the corruption of good principles or good faith


the usual effect of education so far as this mans had gone is to enlarge capacity create humility widen the bounds of charity kindliness and esteem for othersraise in fact the tone of a mans whole moral and intellectual nature


but here was a strange exception and natural vicious ness was only confirmed and its evil power increased by the intellectual ad vantages it possessed


on firsft settling at the tadcasters mr york had gone forth regularly each morn ing on some mission of tutorship return ing from this duty usually in the after noon


he then expected his dinner to be ready


this partaken he passed the rest of the day lying on the sofa sittok ing and reading till long past midnight when he retired to rest


as might be expected from a man of such habits he was loath to rise of a morning and it was not till his little redfaced dirty looking wife had carried in his breakfast quarrelled with him and used a threat or two that he condescended to rise


when at last he did he would be in the worst possible humour and after upsetting everything that came in his way saying the bitterest things that even a man of sardonic temper could and dressing with a negligent haste very unfitted for one holding the office of tutor he wonld hurry away half an hoursometimes an hourbeyond his appointed time


with whomsoever employed him this state of things was not very likely long to p current


accordingly about six week after mr yorks advent at the tascater he returned home one day at an hour much earlier than usual v ith some books under his arm and with looks more than usually morose and sarcastic


as was evident to this place he never returned and then followed a month or two in which mrs tadcasters patience concern ing the rent was put to the utmost stretch and mr yorks shelf of booke grew daily less


then after many letters had passed to and fro another tutorship seemed to be procured and dealt with eventually as the other had beenwas lost still more speedily


then followed a longer period of mibry and want till work of some other kind was gained this appertain ing to the press as mrs york pom pously informed the tadcasters


so mr york now sat at home for days together writing a little smoking a great deal and quarrelling twothirds of each da with his little senseless and peevish wife


it was at this time that the normans came to lodge in the same house


to be continued


nabiy iwrudge


praptna irr


beyond allmeasure


astonished by the strange occurreneswhich had passed with so much violence and rapiditythe locksmith gazed upon the shud


dering figure in the chair like one half stupified ant vypu


have gazed much longer had riot his iopue been loosened bsy comppassion and umanity


you are ill said gabriel


let me call some neighbour in


not for the world she rejoined motioning to kiitnilther trembling hand and stillholding her face avetrted


it is enough that you have been by tose thi


nay more than enough or less saidgabriel


eit so


shereturned


as you like it


ask me no questions i entreat you


negigbour said the locksmith after a pause is this fair or reasonable or just to yourself


is it like you who have known me so long and sought my advice in all matters like you who from a girl have had a strong mind and a staunch heart


i havehad need ofthem she replied


i am growing old both in years and care


perhaps that and too much trial have made them weaker than they used to be


do not speak to me


lhow can i see what


i have seen and hold my peace i


returned the locksmith


who was that man and why has his coming made this change in you


slnbu sshe was silent but clung to the chair as though to save herielf from falling on the ground


ia take the licenie of an old acquaintance mary said the locksmrith who hs ever had a warm regard for you and maybe hastrtii


to prove it when he could


who is this illfavoured mtan and whathas heto do with you


who is this ghost thlat ionly seen in the black nights and bgd wea


ther piow doeshe know


and why does he haunt iis b oud whisbering through chinks pnd crevices s ifber e wvi that between him and you which nei her durii o much as speak aloud ofwho is he


t you oo well tosay he hauts this honse returendd thg widow


faitly


his sladow


has pbejpon it and me in light and darkness at noon


jiaod midnight and now at last he has come in tebbody


uthe wouldnt have gone in theb ody re turdil e locksmith with


some irritation


if you sbiad left my arms and legs at liberty


what riddle is


this r it is one she answered rising as she spoke that mutistremain forever as it is


i dire not say more than that


dale notirepeated the wondering locksmith do not press me she replied iiam sick andaint and every faculty oflife seems


dead within me


o


i do not touch meeither


abriel who had sipppedforward to render her asautanicefellback as she madehibls hasty esolama


tion


and regarded iaerin silent wonder


let me go my way alone she said in a low lpife and let the hands of nohonest man touch mini tnight


when


she had totteird o the door hiibitarid and aedth strongetffort this s a sgrethihi


necessityl i traio to you


you area true mana as yo haive ever been good and kind tomaekeep it


if any noisewas heard above asakesdme eacuse say anything butwhat you really saw and never let a wordor look between us recalathis ircemstapce


i trust to you mind trust to you


how much i trust you never can conceive a fixing her eyes upon him for an instant she withdrew and left him there alone


sgabriel bet knowing what to think stood staring at the door with a countenance full of surprise and dhsmay


the more he pondered on what hadpassed the less able he was to give it anyfavourable inter pretation


to find this widow woman whore life orso many years had been supposed to


be one of solitude and retirement and who in her quiet suf


frring character had gained the good opinion and respect of all who knew her to find her linked mysteriously with an illomened man alarmed at his appearance and yet favouring his escape was a discovery that pained as much as it startled him


her reltance on his secrecy and


his tacit acquies


cence increased his distress of mind


ifhe had spokep boldly and persisted in questioning her detained her when she rose to leave the room made any kind of protest instead otfsilently compromis


lng himself as he felt hehad done he would have been more at ease


why did i let heresay it was a secret and she trusted it to me said gabriel putting hiswig on one side to scratch his head with greater ease and looking ruefully at the fire


i have no more readiness than old johnhimself


why didnt i say firmly you have no right to such secrets and i demand of you to tell me what this means instead of standing gaping at her like an old mooncalf as i am


but theres myweakness


i can be obstinate enough with men if need be but women may twist ie sound their fingers at their pleasure


he took his wig off outright as he made this efiectionand warming his handkerchief at the fire beganotorub and polish his bald head with it until it glistened again


and yet


easid the locksmith softening under this soothing process and stopping to smile it wtay benothing


any drunken brawler tryingto maike his way into the house would have alarmed a quietsoul like her


but thenand here was the vezvtionhow came it to be that man how comes he to havethis influence over her bow came she to favour his getting away from me and more than all how came she notto say it was a sudden fright and nothing mote


its a sad thing to have n one minute reseon tp mistrust aperson


i have snown so long and an old sweetheart into the bargain but what else can i do with all this upon my mind


is that barnaby outside there ay


he cried looking in and nodding


sure enough itsbarnaby how did you guess by your shadow said the locksmith


oholcried barnaby glancing over his shoul der


bes a merryfellowthat shadow and keeps close to me though i am silly


we have such prgnkssqch walkssuch ruan such gambols on the grass


sometimes hell behalf as tall as a church teige and sometimes no bigger than a dwarf


ipthpe goes on before andnowbehind oand anon hel be stealing slyly onoo this dide or onthat stopping whenever i stop and thinking i cant see hian though have my eye on him sharp enough


oht hes a merry fellow


tell me is he silly tool i think he is


wivhy askedgabrie


because he never tiresof mocking me but does it al day longa


v iy dont you come l


up stairs


he wants you


staywheres his abhadw come yourea wise man tell methat beslde hini luarnaby beside him i suppose


returned he


locksmith snoj he replied shaking his head


guess i gone nut a walking maybe he has changed shadows with a woman the idiot whispered in his ear and then fell back with a look of triumph


her shadows always with him nd his with her


thats sporti think eh h sbarpnabysaidthe locksmith with a grave lok comeq hither lad iknowiwhatyou want to say


i knowt be replied keeping away fom him but im coonning isn silent


i ot aly s b ich to you


are you if spokheae hcaugt up the light and id wit whd


ha e his head


softly gently sa


the lickslrniitheiertlng all ala ieifluenceti keep tliibi icalm and qdiet i thughit iuhad besn asleei