"Why, the tallest one, yonder," said Dennis, as he stroked hischin, and added, in an undertone to himself, something about notcrossing Muster Gashford.
Miss Miggs replied (still being profoundly deaf) that if MissHaredale stood in the way at all, he might make himself quite easy on that score; as she had gathered, from what passed between Hughand Mr Tappertit when they were last there, that she was to beremoved alone (not by them, but by somebody else), to-morrow night.
Mr Dennis opened his eyes very wide at this piece of information,whistled once, considered once, and finally slapped his head onceand nodded once, as if he had got the clue to this mysteriousremoval, and so dismissed it. Then he imparted his designconcerning Dolly to Miss Miggs, who was taken more deaf thanbefore, when he began; and so remained, all through.
The notable scheme was this. Mr Dennis was immediately to seek outfrom among the rioters, some daring young fellow (and he had one inhis eye, he said), who, terrified by the threats he could hold outto him, and alarmed by the capture of so many who were no betterand no worse than he, would gladly avail himself of any help to getabroad, and out of harm"s way, with his plunder, even though hisjourney were incumbered by an unwilling companion; indeed, theunwilling companion being a beautiful girl, would probably be anadditional inducement and temptation. Such a person found, heproposed to bring him there on the ensuing night, when the tall onewas taken off, and Miss Miggs had purposely retired; and then thatDolly should be gagged, muffled in a cloak, and carried in any handy conveyance down to the river"s side; where there wereabundant means of getting her smuggled snugly off in any smallcraft of doubtful character, and no questions asked. With regardto the expense of this removal, he would say, at a roughcalculation, that two or three silver tea or coffee-pots, withsomething additional for drink (such as a muffineer, or toast-rack), would more than cover it. Articles of plate of every kindhaving been buried by the rioters in several lonely parts ofLondon, and particularly, as he knew, in St James"s Square, which,though easy of access, was little frequented after dark, and had aconvenient piece of water in the midst, the needful funds wereclose at hand, and could be had upon the shortest notice. Withregard to Dolly, the gentleman would exercise his own discretion.
He would be bound to do nothing but to take her away, and keep heraway. All other arrangements and dispositions would rest entirelywith himself.
If Miss Miggs had had her hearing, no doubt she would have beengreatly shocked by the indelicacy of a young female"s going awaywith a stranger by night (for her moral feelings, as we have said,were of the tenderest kind); but directly Mr Dennis ceased tospeak, she reminded him that he had only wasted breath. She thenwent on to say (still with her fingers in her ears) that nothing less than a severe practical lesson would save the locksmith"sdaughter from utter ruin; and that she felt it, as it were, a moralobligation and a sacred duty to the family, to wish that some onewould devise one for her reformation. Miss Miggs remarked, andvery justly, as an abstract sentiment which happened to occur toher at the moment, that she dared to say the locksmith and his wifewould murmur, and repine, if they were ever, by forcible abduction,or otherwise, to lose their child; but that we seldom knew, in thisworld, what was best for us: such being our sinful and imperfectnatures, that very few arrived at that clear understanding.
Having brought their conversation to this satisfactory end, theyparted: Dennis, to pursue his design, and take another walk abouthis farm; Miss Miggs, to launch, when he left her, into such aburst of mental anguish (which she gave them to understand wasoccasioned by certain tender things he had had the presumption andaudacity to say), that little Dolly"s heart was quite melted.
Indeed, she said and did so much to soothe the outraged feelings ofMiss Miggs, and looked so beautiful while doing so, that if thatyoung maid had not had ample vent for her surpassing spite, in aknowledge of the mischief that was brewing, she must have scratchedher features, on the spot.
