CHAPTER XXX. BAGENAL DALY'S VISITORS
It was at a late hour of a night, some days after this event occurred,that Bagenal Daly sat closeted with Darcy's lawyer, endeavoring, by deepand long thought, to rescue him from some at least of the perils thatthreatened him. Each day, since the Knight's departure, had added to theevil tidings of his fortune. While Gleeson had employed his powers ofattorney to withdraw large sums from the banker's hands, no informationcould be had concerning the great loan he had raised from the Londoncompany, nor was there to be found among the papers left behind him thebond passed to Hickman, and which he should have received had the moneybeen paid. That such was the case, Bagenal Daly firmly believed; thememorandum given him by Freney was corroborated by the testimony of theclerks in two separate banking-houses, who both declared that Gleesondrew these sums on the morning before he started for Kildare, and to oneof Daly's rapid habits of judgment such evidence was quite conclusive.This view of the subject was, unhappily, not destined to continueundisturbed, for, on the very morning after the Knight's departure fromDublin, came a formal letter from Hickman's solicitor, demanding paymentof the interest on the sum of seventy-four thousand eight hundred andtwenty pounds, odd shillings, at five per cent, owing by seven weeks,and accompanying which was a notice of foreclosure of the mortgage onthe ensuing 17th of March, in case the full sum aforesaid were not dulypaid.
To meet these demands Daly well knew Darcy had no disposable property;the large sums raised by Gleeson, at a lower rate of interest, wereintended for that purpose; and although he persisted in believing thatthis debt, at least, was satisfied, the lawyer's opinion was stronglyopposed to that notion.
Mr. Bicknell was a shrewd man, deep not only in the lore of hisprofessional knowledge, but a keen scrutinizer of motives, and afar-seeing observer of the world. He argued thus: Gleeson would neverhave parted with such a sum on the eve of his own flight; a day was ofno consequence, he could easily have put off the payment to Hickman tothe time of the American ship's sailing--why, then, hand over so largean amount, all in his possession? It was strange, of course, what hadbecome of the money; but then they heard that his servant had made hisescape. Why might not he have possessed himself of it after his master'ssuicide? Who was to interfere or prevent it? Besides, if he had paidHickman, the bond would, in all likelihood, be forthcoming; to retainpossession of it could have been no object with Gleeson; he had met withnothing but kind and friendly treatment from Darcy, and was not likelyto repay him by an act of useless, gratuitous cruelty.
As to the testimony of the bank clerks, it was as applicable to one viewof the case as the other. Gleeson would, of course, draw out everythingat his disposal; and although the sums tallied with those in thememorandum, that signified little, as they were the full amount in eachbanker's hands to the Knight's credit. Lastly, as to the memorandum, itwas the only real difficulty in the case; but that paper might have beenin Gleeson's possession, and in the course of business discussion eithermight have been dropped inadvertently, or have been given to Hickman asexplaining the moneys already prepared for his acceptance.
Mr. Bicknell's reasonings were confirmed by the application of Hickman'ssolicitors, who were men of considerable skill and great reputedcaution. "Harris and Long make no such mistakes as this, depend uponthat, sir; they see their case very clearly, or would never adventure onsuch an application."
"D----n their caution! The question is not of their shrewdness."
"Yes, but it is, though; we are weighing probabilities: let us see towhich side the balance inclines. Would they serve notice of foreclosure,not knowing whether or not we had the receipt in our possession? That isthe whole matter."
"I don't pretend to say what they would do, but I know well what Ishould."
"And pray what may that be?"
"Hold possession of the abbey, stand fast by the old walls, call in thetenantry,--and they are ready to answer such a call at a moment, if needbe,--and while I proclaimed to the wide world by what right I resisted,I 'd keep the place against any force they dared to bring. Theseare ticklish times, Bicknell; the Government have just cheated thiscountry,--they 'd scarcely risk the hazard of a civil war for an oldusurer,--old Hickman would be left to his remedies in Banco or Equity;and who knows what might turn up one day or other to strengthen thehonest cause?"
"I scarcely concur in your suggestion, sir."
"How the devil should you? There are neither declarations to draw,nor affidavits to swear, no motions, nor rules, nor replies, nodeclarations, no special juries! No, Bicknell, I never suspected yourapproval of my plan. It would not cost a single skin of parchment."
Though Daly spoke this sarcasm bitterly, it produced no semblance ofirritation in the man of law, who was composedly occupied in perusing adocument before him.
"I have made memoranda," said Bicknell, "of certain points for counsel'sopinion, and as soon as we can obtain some information as to theauthenticity of young Darcy's signature, we shall see our way moreclearly. The case is not only a complicated but a gloomy one; ourantagonists are acute and wealthy, and I own to you the prospect is farfrom good."
"The better counsel mine," said Daly, sternly; "I have little faith inthe justice that hangs upon the intelligence of what you facetiouslycall twelve honest men; methinks the world is scarcely so well suppliedwith the commodity that they are sure to answer the call ofthe sheriff. It is probable, however,--nay, it is more thanprobable,--Darcy will be of your mind, and reject my advice; if so,there is nothing for it but the judge and jury, and he will be despoiledof his property by the law of the land."
Bicknell knew too well the eccentric nature of Daly's character, inwhich no feature was more prominent than his hatred of everything likethe recognized administration of the law, to offer him any opposition,and merely repeating his previous determination to seek the advice ofable counsel, he took his leave.
"There is some deep mystery in this business," said Daly to himself, ashe paced the room alone; "Bicknell is right in saying that Gleeson wouldnot have committed an act of unnecessary cruelty, nor, if he had paidthe money, would he have failed to leave the bond among his papers.Every circumstance of this fellow's flight is enveloped in doubt, andFreney, the only man who appears to have suspected his intention,by some mischance is not now to be found; Sandy has not succeeded inmeeting with the boy, notwithstanding all his efforts. What can this beowing to? What machinery is at work here? Have the Hick-mans theirshare in this?" Such were the broken sentences he muttered, as, in turn,suspicions tracked each other in his mind.
Daly was far too rash, and too impetuous in temper, to be wellqualified for an investigation of so much difficulty. Unable to weighprobabilities with calmness, he was always the victim of his ownprejudices in favor of certain things and people; and to escape from thechaotic trouble of his own harassed thoughts, he was ever ready to adoptsome headlong and desperate expedient, in preference to the quieterpolicy of more patient minds.
"Yes, faith," said he, "my plan is the best after all; and who knows butby showing the bold front we may reduce old Hickman's pretensions, orat least make a compromise with him. There are plenty of arms andammunition,--eight stout fellows would hold the inner gate tower againsta battalion,--we could raise the country from Mur-risk to KilleryHarbor; and one gun fired from the Boat Quay would bring the fishermenfrom Clare Island and Achill to the rescue,--we 'd soon make a signalthey 'd recognize; old Hickman's house, with all its porticos andverandas, would burn like tinder. If they are for law, let them begin,then."
The door opened as he spoke these words, and Sandy entered cautiously."There is a countryman without wha says he's come a long way to see yourhonor, and maun see you this night."
"Where from?"
"Fra' the West, I think, for he said the roads were heavy down in themparts."
"Let him come in," said Daly; and, with his hands crossed behind hisback, he continued to walk the room. "Some poor fellow for a renewal ofhis lease, or an abatement, or something of that kind
,--they 'll neverlearn that I 'm no longer the owner of that estate that still bears myname, and they cling to me as though I had the power to assist them,when I'm defenceless for myself. Well, what is it? Speak out, man,--whatdo you want with me?"
The individual to whom this question was addressed stood with hisback to the door, which he had cautiously shut close on entering, but,instead of returning an answer to the question, he cast a long andsearching glance around the room, as if to ascertain whether any otherperson was in it. The apartment was large, and, being dimly lighted, ittook some time to assure him that they were alone; but when he hadso satisfied himself-, he walked slowly forward into the light, and,throwing open his loose coat of gray frieze, exhibited the well-knownfigure of Freney the robber.
"What, Freney!--the man of all Ireland I wish to see."
"I thought so, sir," said the other, wiping his forehead with hishand, for he was flushed and heated, and seemed to have come off along journey. "I know you sent for me, but I was unable to meet yourmessenger, and I can seldom venture to send that young villain Jemmyinto the capital,--the police are beginning to know him, and he 'll becaught one of these days."
"You were n't in Kildare, then?" said Daly.
"No, sir, I was in the far West,--down in Mayo. I had a little businessin Ballina a short time back, and some fellow who knew me, and thoughtthe game a safe one, stole my brown horse out of the inn-stable, in thebroad noon-day, and sold him at the fair green at Ballinasloe. When Itell you that he was the best animal I ever crossed, I need n't saywhat the loss was to me; the nags you saw were broken-down hackneys incomparison. He was strong in bone and untiring, and I kept him for theheavy country around Boyle and down by Longford. It is not once, nortwice, but a dozen times, Matchlock has saved me from a loop and aleap in the air; but the rascal that took him well knew the theft wassafe,--Freney, the highwayman, could scarcely lodge informations with amagistrate."
"And you never could hear traces of him?" "Yes, that I did, but it costme time and trouble too. I found that he was twice sold within one week.Dean Harris bought him, and sold him the day after." Here Freney gave alow cunning laugh, while his eyes twinkled with malignant drollery.
"He did n't think as highly of him as you did, Freney?" "Perhaps he hadn't as good reason," said the robber, laughing. "He was riding home froman early dinner with the bishop, and as he was cantering along the sideof the road, a chaise with four horses came tearing past. Matchlock,true to his old instinct, but not knowing who was on his back, brokeinto a gallop, and in half a dozen strides brought the dean close up tothe chaise window, when the traveller inside sent a bullet past his earthat very nearly made a vacancy in the best living of the diocese. As Isaid, sir, the dean had had enough of him; he sold him the next morning,and that day week he was bought by a young fellow in the West whom Ifound out to be a grandson of old Hickman."
"Was he able to ride a horse like this?" said Daly, doubtfully.
"Ride him?--ay; and never a man in the province brought a beast to aleap with a lighter hand and a closer seat in the saddle. We were sideby side for three miles of a stiff country, and I don't believe I 'mmuch of a coward,--at any rate, I set very little value on my neck; but,I 'll tell you what, sir, he pushed me hard."
"How was this, then? Had you a race together?" "It was something verylike it, sir," said Freney, laughing; "for when I reached Westport, Iheard that young O'Reilly was to ride a new brown horse that daywith the hounds, and a great hunt was expected, to show some Englishgentlemen who were staying at Gwynne Abbey. So I went off early toHooley's forge, near the cross-roads, to see the meet, and look out formy man. I did n't want any one to tell me which he was, for I 'd knowMatchlock at half a mile distance. There he was, in splendid conditiontoo, and looking as I never saw him look before; by my conscience,Mr. Daly, there's a wide difference between the life of a beast in thestables of a county member, and one that has to stretch his bones in theshealing of such as myself. My plan was to go down to the cover, and themoment the fox broke away, to drive a bullet through my horse's head,and be off as hard as I could; for, to tell you the truth, it was spitemore than the value of him was grieving me; so I took my own horseby the bridle, and walked down to where they were all gathered. I wasscarcely there when the dogs gave tongue, and away they went,--a grandsight it was, more than a hundred red-coats, and riding close every manof them. Just then, up comes Matchlock, and takes the fence into thefield where I was standing, a stone wall and a ditch, his rider handlinghim elegantly, and with an easy smile, sitting down in his saddle as ifit was child's play. Faith, I could n't bring myself to fire the shot,partly for the sake of the horse, more too, maybe, for the sake of therider. 'I 'll go a bit beside him,' said I to myself; for it was a realpleasure to me to watch the way how both knew their business well. I'm making a long story of it, but the end of it was this: I took theCrumpawn river just to dare him, and divil a bit but he fell in,--nofault of his, but the bank was rotten, and down they went; the youngfellow had a narrow escape of it, but he got through it at last, and, ashe lay on the grass more dead than alive, I saw Matchlock grazing justclose to me. Temptations are bad things, Mr. Daly, particularly when aman has never trained himself off them; so I slipped the bridle over hishead, and rode away with him beside me."
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"Carried him off?"
"Clean and clever; he's at the hall-door this minute: and, by the sametoken, sixty-four miles he has covered this day."
"There's only one part of the whole story surprises me; it is that thisfellow should have ridden so boldly and so well. I know such courage isoften no more than habit: yet even that lower quality of daring I nevershould have given him credit for. Was he hurt by his fall?"
"Stunned, perhaps, but nothing the worse."
"Well, well, enough of him. I wanted to see you, Freney, to learnanything you may know of this fellow Gleeson's flight. It's a sad affairfor my friend the Knight of Gwynne."
"So I've heard, sir. It's bad enough for myself, too."
"For you! He was not your man of business, was he?" said Daly, with asly laugh.
"No, sir, I generally manage my money matters myself; but he happened tohave a butler, one Garrett by name, who betted smartly on the turf, andplayed a little with the bones besides. He was a steady-going chap thatknew a thing or two, but honest enough in booking up when he lost; heborrowed two hundred from me on the very day they started; he owed menearly three besides, and I never saw him since. They say that when hismaster jumped overboard, Jack Garrett laid hands on all his property,and sailed for America; but I don't believe it, sir."
"Well, but, Freney, you may believe it, for I was the means of aninvestigation at Liverpool in which the fact transpired, and the nameof John Garrett was entered in the ship-agent's books; I read it theremyself."
"No matter for that, he dared not venture into the States. I knowsomething of Jack's doings among the Yankees, and depend upon it, Mr.Daly, he's not gone; it's only a blind to stop pursuit."
Daly shook his head dubiously, for, having satisfied himself ofGarrett's escape when at Liverpool, he felt annoyed at any discreditattaching to what he deemed his own discovery.
"Take my word for it, Mr. Daly, I 'm right this time; you cannot thinkwhat an advantage a man like me possesses in guessing at the way anotherrogue would play his game. Why, sir, I know every turn and double sucha fellow as Garrett would make. Now, I 'd wager Matchlock against acar-horse that he has not left England, and I 'd take an even bet he 'llbe at the Spring Meeting at Doncaster."
"This may be all as you say, Freney," said Daly, after a pause, "and yetI see no reason to suppose it can interest me, or my friend either. Hemight know something of Gleeson's affairs; he might, perhaps, be able totell something of the payment of that sum at Kildare; if so--"
"If so," interrupted Freney, "money would buy the secret; at all events,I'm determined he shall not escape me so easily. I 'll follow the fellowto the very threshold of Newgate but I 'll have my own,--it is forthat purpo
se I 'm on my way now. A fishing-boat will sail from Howth byto-morrow's tide, and land me somewhere on the Welsh coast, and, if Ican serve you, why, it's only doing two jobs at the same time. What arethe points you are anxious to discover?"
Daly reflected for a few moments, and then with distinctness detailedthe several matters on which he desired information, not only regardingthe reasons of Gleeson's embarrassments, but the nature of his intimacywith old Hickman, of which he entertained deep suspicions.
"I see it all," said Freney. "You think that Gleeson was in league withthe doctor?"
Daly nodded.
"That was my own notion, too. Ah, sir, if I 'd only the King's pardon inmy pocket this night, and the power of an honest man for one month, I'd stake my head on it, but I would have the whole mystery as clear aswater."
"You 'll want some money, Freney," said Daly, as he turned to the table,and, taking up a key, unlocked the writing-case. "I 'm not as rich justnow as a Member of Parliament might be after such a Bill as the Union,but I hope this may be of some service;" and he took a fifty-pound notefrom the desk to hand it to him, but Freney was gone. He had slippednoiselessly from the room; the bang of the hall-door was heard at theinstant, and immediately after the tramp of a horse as he trotted downthe street.
"The world all over!" said Daly to himself. "If the man of honor andintegrity has his flaws and defects, even fellows like that have theirnotions of principle and delicacy too. Confound it! mankind will neverlet me love or hate them."
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