CHAPTER XXXIV.
SIR JULIUS HOCKLEY'S LETTER.
Jos. Larkin mentioned in his conversation with the vicar, just related,that he had received a power of attorney from Mark Wylder. Connected withthis document there came to light a circumstance so very odd, that thereader must at once be apprised of it.
This legal instrument was attested by two witnesses, and bore date abouta week before the interview, just related, between the vicar and Mr.Larkin. Here, then, was a fact established. Mark Wylder had returned fromBoulogne, for the power of attorney had been executed at Brighton. Whowere the witnesses? One was Thomas Tupton, of the Travellers' Hotel,Brighton.
This Thomas Tupton was something of a sporting celebrity, and a likelyman enough to be of Mark's acquaintance.
The other witness was Sir Julius Hockley, of Hockley, an unexceptionableevidence, though a good deal on the turf.
Now our friend Jos. Larkin had something of the Red Indian's faculty fortracking his game, by hardly perceptible signs and tokens, through thewilderness; and this mystery of Mark Wylder's flight and seclusion wasthe present object of his keen and patient pursuit.
On receipt of the 'instrument,' therefore, he wrote by return of post,'presenting his respectful compliments to Sir Julius Hockley, and deeplyregretting that, as solicitor of the Wylder family, and the _gentleman_(_sic_) empowered to act under the letter of attorney, it was imperativeupon him to trouble him (Sir Julius H.) with a few interrogatories, whichhe trusted he would have no difficulty in answering.'
The first was, whether he had been acquainted with Mr. Mark Wylder'spersonal appearance before seeing him sign, so as to be able to identifyhim. The second was, whether he (Mr. M.W.) was accompanied, at the timeof executing the instrument, by any friend; and if so, what were the nameand address of such friend. And the third was, whether he couldcommunicate any information whatsoever respecting Mr. M.W.'s presentplace of abode?
The same queries were put in a somewhat haughty and peremptory way to thesporting hotel-keeper, who answered that Mr. Mark Wylder had been stayingfor a week at his house, about five months ago; and that he had seen himtwice--once 'backing' Jonathan, when he beat the great Americanbilliard-player; and another time, when he lent him his copy of 'Bell'sLife,' in the coffee-room; and thus he was enabled to identify him. Forthe rest he could say nothing.
Sir Julius's reply was of the hoity-toity and rollicking sort, borderingin parts very nearly on nonsense, and generally impertinent. It reachedMr. Larkin as he sat at breakfast with his friend, Stanley Lake.
'Pray read your letters, and don't mind me, I entreat. Perhaps you willallow me to look at the "Times;" and I'll trouble you for the sardines.'
The postmark 'Hockley,' stared the lawyer in the face; and, longing tobreak the seal, he availed himself of the captain's permission. So Lakeopened the 'Times;' and, as he studied its columns, I think he stole aglance or two over its margin at the attorney, now deep in the letter ofSir Julius Hockley.
He (Sir J.H.) 'presented his respects to Mr. Lark_ens_, or Lark_ins_, orLark_me_, or Lark_us_--Sir J.H. is not able to read _which_ or _what_;but he is happy to observe, at all events, that, end how he may, thegentleman begins with a "lark!" which Sir J.H. always does, when he can.Not being able to discover his terminal syllable, he will take theliberty of styling him by his sprightly beginning, and calling himshortly "Lark." As Sir J. never objected to a lark, the gentleman sodesignated introduces himself with a strong prejudice, in Sir J.'s mind,in his favour--so much so, that by way of a lark, Sir J. will answerLark's questions, which are not, he thinks, very impertinent. The wildestof all Lark's questions refers to Wylder's place of abode, which Sir J.was never wild enough to think of asking after, and does not know; and solittle was he acquainted with the gentleman, that he forgot he was anevangelist doing good under the style and title of Mark. Lark may,therefore, tell Mark, if he sees him, or his friends--Matthew, Luke, andJohn--that Sir Julius saw Mark only on two successive days, at thecricket-match, played between Paul's Eleven--the coincidence isremarkable--and the Ishmaelites (these, I am bound to observe, wereliterally the designations of the opposing sides); and that he had thehonour of being presented to Mark--saint or sinner, as he may be--on theground, by his, Sir J.H.'s, friend, Captain Stanley Lake, of the Guards.'
Here was an astounding fact. Stanley Lake had been in Mark Wylder'scompany only ten days ago, when that great match was played at Brighton!What a deep gentleman was that Stanley Lake, who sat at the other end ofthe table with the 'Times' before him. What a varnished rascal--what amatchless liar!
He had returned to Gylingden, direct, in all likelihood, from hisconferences with Mark Wylder, to tell all concerned that it was vainendeavouring to trace him, and still offering his disinterested servicesin the pursuit.
No matter! We must take things coolly and cautiously. All this chicanerywill yet break down, and the conspiracy, be it what it may, will bethoroughly exposed. Mystery is the shadow of guilt; and, most assuredly,thought Mr. Larkin, there is some _infernal_ secret, _well worthknowing_, at the bottom of all this. You little think I have you here!and he slid Sir Julius Hockley's piece of rubbishy banter into hiswaistcoat pocket, and then opened and glanced at half-a-dozen otherletters, in a cool, quick official way, endorsing a little note on theback of each with his gold, patent pencil. All Mr. Jos. Larkin's'properties' were handsome and imposing, and he never played withchildren without producing his gold repeater, and making it strike, andexhibiting its wonders for their amusement, and the edification of theadults, whose presence, of course, he forgot.
'Paul's Eleven have challenged the Gipsies,' said Lake, languidly liftinghis eyes from the paper. 'By-the-bye, are you anything of a cricketer?And they are to play at Hockley, Sir Julius Hockley's ground. You knowSir Julius, don't you?'
'Very slightly. I may say I _have_ that honour, but we have never beenthrown together; a mere--a--the slightest thing in the world.'
'Not schoolfellows----you are not an Eton man, eh?' said Lake.
'Oh no! My dear father' (the organist) 'would not send a boy of his towhat he called an idle school. But my acquaintance with Sir Julius was atrifling matter. Hockley is a very pretty place, is not it?'
'A sweet place. A great match was played between those fellows atBrighton: Paul's Eleven beat fifteen of the Ishmaelites, about afortnight since; but they have no chance with the Gipsies. It will bequite a hollow thing--a one-innings affair.'
'Have you ever seen Paul's Eleven play?' asked the lawyer, carelesslytaking up the newspaper which Lake had laid down.
'I saw them play that match at Brighton, I mentioned just now, a few daysago.'
'Ah! did you?'
'Did not you _know_ I was there?' said Lake, in rather a changed tone.Larkin looked up, and Lake laughed in his face quietly the mostimpertinent laugh he had ever seen or heard, with his yellow eyes fixedon the lawyer's pink little optics. 'I was there, and Hockley was there,and Mark Wylder was there--was not he?' and Lake stared and laughed, andthe attorney stared; and Lake added, 'What a d--d cunning fellow you are;ha, ha, ha!'
Larkin was not easily put out, but he _was_ disconcerted now; and hischeeks and forehead grew suddenly pink, and he coughed a little, andtried to throw a look of mild surprise into his face.
'Why, you have this moment had a letter from Hockley. Don't you think Iknew his hand and the post-mark, and your look said quite plainly,"Here's news of my friend Stanley Lake and Mark Wylder." I had an unclein the Foreign Office, and they said he would have been quite adistinguished diplomatist if he had lived; and I was said to have a gooddeal of his talent; and I really think I have brought my little evidencesvery prettily together, and jumped to a right conclusion--eh?'
A flicker of that sinister shadow I have sometimes mentioned crossedLarkin's face, and contracted his eyes, as he said, a little sternly--
'I have nothing on earth to conceal, Sir; I never had. All _my_ conducthas been as open as the light; there's not a letter, Sir, I ever write orreceive, th
at might not, so far as _I_ am concerned, with my good will,lie open on that table for every visitor that comes in to read;--open asthe day, Sir:' and the attorney waved his hand grandly.
'Hear, hear, hear,' said Lake, languidly, and tapping a little applauseon the table, while he watched the solicitor's rhetoric with his sly,disconcerting smile.
'It was but conscientious, Captain Lake, that I should make particularenquiry respecting the genuineness of a legal instrument conferring suchvery considerable powers. How, on earth, Sir, could I have the slightestsuspicion that _you_ had seen my client, Mr. Wylder, considering thetenor of your letters and conversation? And I venture to say, CaptainLake, that Lord Chelford will be just as much surprised as I, when hehears it.'
Jos. Larkin, Esq., delivered this peroration from a moral elevation, allthe loftier that he had a peer of the realm on his side. But peers didnot in the least overawe Stanley Lake, who had been all his days familiarwith those idols; and the moral altitudes of the attorney amused himvastly.
'But he'll _not_ hear it; _I_ won't tell him, and you sha'n't; because Idon't think it would be prudent of us--do you?--to quarrel with MarkWylder, and he does not wish our meeting known. It is nothing on earth tome; on the contrary, it rather places me in an awkward position keepingother people's secrets.'
The attorney made one of his slight, gentlemanlike bows, and threw backhis head with a lofty and reserved look.
'I don't know, Captain Lake, that I would be quite justified inwithholding the substance of Sir Julius Hockley's letter from LordChelford, consulted, as I have had the honour to be, by that nobleman. Ishall, however, turn it over in my mind.'
'Don't the least mind me. In fact, I would rather tell it than not. And Ican explain to Chelford why _I_ could not mention the circumstance.Wylder, in fact, tied me down by a promise, and he'll be devilish angrywith you; but, it seems, you don't very much mind that.'
He knew that Mr. Larkin _did_ very much mind it; and the quick glance ofthe attorney could read nothing whatever in the captain's pallid face anddowncast eyes, smiling on the points of his varnished boots.
'Of course, you know, Captain Lake, in alluding to the possibility of mymaking any communication to Lord Chelford, I limit myself strictly to theletter of Sir Julius Hockley, and do not, by any means, my dear CaptainLake, include the conversation which has just occurred, and thecommunication which you have volunteered to make me.'
'Oh! quite so,' said the captain, looking up suddenly, as was his way,with a momentary glare, like a man newly-waked from a narcotic doze.
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