The Mysteries of London, Vol. IV — page 389: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

-_ m a a gs Se Selly; (see Ss See 384 fellow, and be able to defy Heathcote altogether,” observed Jack Rily. “T would give the last ten years of my life to reach such happiness,” said the clerk. “But it is useless—yain to hope—” “Will you givo a few hours of your time anda little of your ingenuity?” demanded the Doctor, now fixing upon him a look full of deop and myste- rious meaning. “Do not banter me—do not make a jest of my misfortune,” exclaimed Green. “By Satan ! I never was more serious‘in my life,” returned the Doctor. “ Nay—you may staro of mo as you will: but the thousand pounds are neerer Within your reach than you fancy—and you might still keep your two hundred pounds for your own purposes,” Pray explain yourself!” cried the clerk, not daring to yield to the hope which suddenly appeared to rise up before him. ‘“ Keep me not in suspense, I conjure you! Can you do anything for me ?—can you put me into the way-——~” * Yes—I can,” answered the Doctor, emphatically. “ And now you may as well tell me candidly that you thought I might bo able to assist you, whon you resolved uponcalling here. Because, since we were at school together—which is many long years ago —onr paths in Jifo have been so different, that it is not very likely you would have honoured me by your company without some pressing motive.” You must at the same time admit that whenever I have met you, I have always spoken civilly to you--and sometimes stood treat,” added Green, diffidently. “Once or twice,” observed Jack. “But that don’t matter one way or the other. I asked you a ques- tion: and before I opon my mind any farthor——” “ Well—I candidly admit, then,” interrupted Green, wishing to bring the matter to the point as speedily as possible—I candidly admit that I did hope you could help mo in some way or another. But it was only the hope of a desperate man: for as to the idea that you could assist mo to eight hun- dred or a thousand pounds, it would have been in- sane to harbour it even for an instant. To speak moro frankly still, I almost thought of asking you to let me join you in your own way of life, although I hardly know what your pursuits positively are.” ‘They require couragoand firmness, atall events,” answered Jack Rily, with a coarso laugh; “ wherons you havo got into such cursed cringing, bowing, and scraping ways, that you aro only fit for a toad-eator. Excuse me for speaking frankly—but as we are talking on matters of business——” “Quite correct,” interrupted Green, swallowing his resentment: for he felt but little pleased at tho home-truth which had just been told him. “And now for the information which is to reliove me from such cruel suspense.” “First answer me one or two questions,” said the Doctor. “Isupposo you are often in the habit of changing Bank-notes for your master 2” “Yes: but not to any considorablo amount at a time,” answered Green: “he is too suspicious to trust me with a sum sufficiently large to tempt mo to run away with it.” “Nevortheless, I suppose you could manage to change a few heavy notes, if you had them?” pur- sucd the Doctor, “Heavy notes?” repeated Green, turning pale and trembling. “Are they—fo—or—ged f” THC MYSTENIES OF LONDON, “Not they!” exclaimed Rily, half disgusted with his timorous companion, “They are genuine Bank of England flimsies: but as they didn’t come into my hands in a very regular manner, and as my ap- pearance isn’t altogether in my favour, I can’t pass them myself.” “Oh! I—I—can get cash for them,” said Greens with all the eagerness of a manin a desperate pre- dicament. ‘Heathcote’s bankers would do mo us many a5 you can possibly have.” “YT question it,” obsorved tho Doctor, drily. Would they cash you two notes for a thousand each ¢” “Yes —yes: assuredly they would,” was the prompt answer. * And you must know other places ———” “Several — several,” interrupted Green, antici- pating tho remainder of the questions, ‘But would it not be shorter to go to the Bank of England at once 2?” “ Well—I think it would,” responded Jack. ““Unless—unless—there’s any fear—any danger, I mean—-I——”’ ‘Curse upon your fears and dangers!" ojacu- Jated the hare-lipped villain, savagely: “thero aro none at all—only, as I just now said, I can’t go myself, But if you can get ten thonsand changed to-morrow, you may have one thousand for your own purposes.” . Mr. Green could not find words to express his gratitude in return for this assurance : he was oyer- whelmed with a delight which he had not expe- rienced for years, The thought of emancipating himself from the thraldom of his despot-mastor was too brilliant—too dazzling to gaze upon. He could not believe that thero was anything beyond a more chance in his favour :—that the matter was a certainty, he dared not imagine. But when Jack Rily displayed a few of the notes, and mysteriously hinted that they were the produce of a forgery which could not possibly bo detected, Mr. Greon started from his chair, and actually danced for joy! CHAPTER CCI. MR. HEATHCOTE AND HIS CLERK. Iv was five o’clock in the morning of tho day after the interview described in the last chaptor; and Mr. Heathcote was seated at the writing-table in his private office. He was busily occupied with papers;—for his was a disposition that could not endure idleness. Evon when vexed and annoyed—as ho was at presont—it was impossible for him to remain inactive. Had he been an author, he would have eclipsed Walter Scott or Paul de Kock in the number of his works. There was a deep gloom upon his brow and a sinister light in his restless cyes, as he bent over th parchment-deeds which he was inspecting; and from time to time he cast an anxious glance to- wards the door, or At length he rang tho bell; and the junior clerk ansvwered'the summons. “Has not Mr. Green made his appearanco yet?” demanded tho lawyer, with an emphasis on the lest word. * No, sir—ho has not,” was tho reply, given timidly —for the young man beheld both the gloom on the brow and the gleaming in the eye. \ 5} (CO) GIOOKS (CO) =