Pelham — Complete
Page 84
CHAPTER LXXXIV.
Ille viam secat ad naves sociosque, revisit.--Virgil.
The day had already dawned, but all was still and silent; my footstepssmote the solitary pavement with a strange and unanswered sound.Nevertheless, though all pursuit had long ceased, I still continuedto run on mechanically, till, faint and breathless, I was forced intopausing. I looked round, but could recognize nothing familiar in thenarrow and filthy streets; even the names of them were to me like anunknown language. After a brief rest I renewed my wanderings, and atlength came to an alley, called River Lane; the name did not deceiveme, but brought me, after a short walk, to the Thames; there, to myinexpressible joy, I discovered a solitary boatman, and transportedmyself forthwith to the Whitehall-stairs.
Never, I ween, did gay gallant, in the decaying part of the season,arrive at those stairs for the sweet purpose of accompanying his ownmistress, or another's wife, to green Richmond, or sunny Hampton, withmore eager and animated delight than I felt at rejecting the arm of therough boatman, and leaping on the well-known stones. I hastened to thatstand of "jarvies" which has often been the hope and shelter of belatedmember of St. Stephen's, or bewetted fugitive from the Opera. I startleda sleeping coachman, flung myself into his vehicle, and descended atMivart's.
The drowsy porter surveyed, and told me to be gone; I had forgotten mystrange attire. "Pooh, my friend," said I, "may not Mr. Pelham go toa masquerade as well as his betters?" My voice and words undeceived myCerberus, and I was admitted; I hastened to bed, and no sooner hadI laid my head on my pillow, than I fell fast asleep. It must beconfessed, that I had deserved "tired Nature's sweet restorer."
I had not been above a couple of hours in the land of dreams, when I wasawakened by some one grasping my arm; the events of the past nightwere so fresh in my memory, that I sprung up, as if the knife was at mythroat--my eyes opened upon the peaceful countenance of Mr. Job Jonson.
"Thank Heaven, Sir, you are safe! I had but a very faint hope of findingyou here when I came."
"Why," said I, rubbing my eyes, "it is very true that I am safe, honestJob: but, I believe, I have few thanks to give you for a circumstance sopeculiarly agreeable to myself. It would have saved me much trouble, andyour worthy friend, Mr. Fib Fakescrew, some pain, if you had left thedoor open instead of shutting me up with your club, as you are pleasedto call it."
"Very true, Sir," said Job, "and I am extremely sorry at the accident;it was Dawson who shut the door, through utter unconsciousness, thoughI told him especially not to do it--the poor dog did not know whether hewas on his head or his heels."
"You have got him safe," said I, quickly.
"Aye, trust me for that, your honour. I have locked him up at home whileI came here to look for you."
"We will lose no time in transferring him to safer custody," said I,leaping out of bed; "but be off to--Street directly."
"Slow and sure, Sir," answered Jonson. "It is for you to do whateveryou please, but my part of the business is over. I shall sleep at Dovertonight, and breakfast at Calais to-morrow. Perhaps it will not bevery inconvenient to your honour to furnish me with my first quarter'sannuity in advance, and to see that the rest is duly paid intoLafitte's, at Paris, for the use of Captain Douglas. Where I shall livehereafter is at present uncertain; but I dare say there will be fewcorners except old England and new England, in which I shall not makemerry on your honour's bounty."
"Pooh! my good fellow," rejoined I, "never desert a country to whichyour talents do such credit; stay here, and reform on your annuity.If ever I can accomplish my own wishes, I will consult your's stillfarther; for I shall always think of your services with gratitude,though you did shut the door in my face."
"No, Sir," replied Job--"life is a blessing I would fain enjoy a fewyears longer; and, at present, my sojourn in England would put itwoefully in danger of 'club law.' Besides, I begin to think that a goodcharacter is a very agreeable thing, when not too troublesome: and, as Ihave none left in England, I may as well make the experiment abroad.If your honour will call at the magistrate's, and take a warrant and anofficer, for the purpose of ridding me of my charge, at the very instantI see my responsibility at an end, I will have the honour of bidding youadieu."
"Well, as you please," said I. "Curse your scoundrel's cosmetics! Howthe deuce am I ever to regain my natural complexion? Look ye, sirrah!you have painted me with a long wrinkle on the left side of my mouth,big enough to engulph all the beauty I ever had. Why, water seems tohave no effect upon it!"
"To be sure not, Sir," said Job, calmly--"I should be but a poor dauber,if my paints washed off with a wet sponge."
"Grant me patience," cried I, in a real panic; "how, in the nameof Heaven, are they to wash off? Am I, before I have reached mytwenty-third year, to look like a methodist parson on the wrong side offorty, you rascal!"
"The latter question, your honour can best answer," returned Job. "Withregard to the former, I have an unguent here, if you will suffer me toapply it, which will remove all other colours than those which naturehas bestowed upon you."
With that, Job produced a small box; and, after a brief submission tohis skill, I had the ineffable joy of beholding myself restored to myoriginal state. Nevertheless, my delight was somewhat checked by theloss of my ringlets: I thanked Heaven, however, that the damage had beensustained after Ellen's acceptation of my addresses. A lover confined toone, should not be too destructive, for fear of the consequences to theremainder of the female world: compassion is ever due to the fair sex.
My toilet being concluded, Jonson and I repaired to the magistrate's. Hewaited at the corner of the street, while I entered the house--
"'Twere vain to tell what shook the holy man, Who looked, not lovingly,at that divan."
Having summoned to my aid the redoubted Mr.----, of mulberry-cheekedrecollection, we entered a hackney-coach, and drove to Jonson'slodgings, Job mounting guard on the box.
"I think, Sir," said Mr.----, looking up at the man of two virtues,"that I have had the pleasure of seeing that gentleman before."
"Very likely," said I; "he is a young man greatly about town."
When we had safely lodged Dawson (who seemed more collected, and evencourageous, than I had expected) in the coach, Job beckoned me into alittle parlour. I signed him a draught on my bankers for one hundredpounds--though at that time it was like letting the last drop from myveins--and faithfully promised, should Dawson's evidence procure thedesired end (of which, indeed, there was now no doubt), that the annuityshould be regularly paid, as he desired. We then took an affectionatefarewell of each other.
"Adieu, Sir!" said Job, "I depart into a new world--that of honest men!"
"If so," said I, "adieu, indeed!--for on this earth we shall never meetagain!"
We returned to--Street. As I was descending from the coach, a female,wrapped from head to foot in a cloak, came eagerly up to me, and seizedme by the arm. "For God's sake," said she, in a low, hurried voice,"come aside, and speak to me for a single moment." Consigning Dawson tothe sole charge of the officer, I did as I was desired. When we had gotsome paces down the street, the female stopped. Though she held her veilclosely drawn over her face, her voice and air were not to be mistaken:I knew her at once. "Glanville," said she, with great agitation,"Sir Reginald Glanville! tell me, is he in real danger?" She stoppedshort--she could say no more.
"I trust not!" said I, appearing not to recognize the speaker.
"I trust not!" she repeated, "is that all!" And then the passionatefeelings of her sex overcoming every other consideration, she seized meby the hand, and said--"Oh, Mr. Pelham, for mercy's sake, tell me is hein the power of that villain Thornton? you need disguise nothing fromme, I know all the fatal history."
"Compose yourself, dear, dear Lady Roseville," said I, soothingly; "forit is in vain any longer to affect not to know you. Glanville is safe; Ihave brought with me a witness whose testimony must release him."
"God bless you, God bless you!" said Lady Roseville, and she
burst intotears; but she dried them directly, and recovering some portion of thatdignity which never long forsakes a woman of virtuous and educated mind,she resumed, proudly, yet bitterly--"It is no ordinary motive, no motivewhich you might reasonably impute to me, that has brought me here. SirReginald Glanville can never be any thing more to me than a friend--butof all friends, the most known and valued. I learned from his servant ofhis disappearance; and my acquaintance with his secret history enabledme to account for it in the most fearful manner. In short I--I--butexplanations are idle now; you will never say that you have seen mehere, Mr. Pelham: you will endeavour even to forget it--farewell."
Lady Roseville, then drawing her cloak closely round her, left me with afleet and light step, and turning the corner of the street, disappeared.
I returned to my charge, I demanded an immediate interview with themagistrate. "I have come," said I, "to redeem my pledge, and acquitthe innocent." I then briefly related my adventures, only concealing(according to my promise) all description of my help-mate, Job; andprepared the worthy magistrate for the confession and testimony ofDawson. That unhappy man had just concluded his narration, when anofficer entered, and whispered the magistrate that Thornton was inwaiting.
"Admit him," said Mr.----, aloud. Thornton entered with his usual easyand swaggering air of effrontery; but no sooner did he set his eyes uponDawson, than a deadly and withering change passed over his countenance.Dawson could not bridle the cowardly petulance of his spite--"They knowall, Thornton!" said he, with a look of triumph. The villain turnedslowly from him to us, muttering something we could not hear. He sawupon my face, upon the magistrate's, that his doom was sealed; hisdesperation gave him presence of mind, and he made a sudden rush to thedoor; the officers in waiting seized him. Why should I detail therest of the scene? He was that day fully committed for trial, and SirReginald Glanville honourably released, and unhesitatingly acquitted.