"It isn"t, sir," cried the locksmith with brightened eyes, andsturdy, honest voice; "it isn"t because I courted her before Rudge,and failed, that I say she was too good for him. She would havebeen as much too good for me. But she WAS too good for him; he wasn"t free and frank enough for her. I don"t reproach his memorywith it, poor fellow; I only want to put her before you as shereally was. For myself, I"ll keep her old picture in my mind; andthinking of that, and what has altered her, I"ll stand her friend,and try to win her back to peace. And damme, sir," cried Gabriel,"with your pardon for the word, I"d do the same if she had marriedfifty highwaymen in a twelvemonth; and think it in the ProtestantManual too, though Martha said it wasn"t, tooth and nail, tilldoomsday!"
If the dark little parlour had been filled with a dense fog, which,clearing away in an instant, left it all radiance and brightness,it could not have been more suddenly cheered than by this outbreakon the part of the hearty locksmith. In a voice nearly as full andround as his own, Mr Haredale cried "Well said!" and bade him comeaway without more parley. The locksmith complied right willingly;and both getting into a hackney coach which was waiting at thedoor, drove off straightway.
They alighted at the street corner, and dismissing theirconveyance, walked to the house. To their first knock at the doorthere was no response. A second met with the like result. But inanswer to the third, which was of a more vigorous kind, the parlour window-sash was gently raised, and a musical voice cried:
"Haredale, my dear fellow, I am extremely glad to see you. Howvery much you have improved in your appearance since our lastmeeting! I never saw you looking better. HOW do you do?"
Mr Haredale turned his eyes towards the casement whence the voiceproceeded, though there was no need to do so, to recognise thespeaker, and Mr Chester waved his hand, and smiled a courteouswelcome.
"The door will be opened immediately," he said. "There is nobodybut a very dilapidated female to perform such offices. You willexcuse her infirmities? If she were in a more elevated station ofsociety, she would be gouty. Being but a hewer of wood and drawerof water, she is rheumatic. My dear Haredale, these are naturalclass distinctions, depend upon it."
Mr Haredale, whose face resumed its lowering and distrustful lookthe moment he heard the voice, inclined his head stiffly, andturned his back upon the speaker.
"Not opened yet," said Mr Chester. "Dear me! I hope the aged soul has not caught her foot in some unlucky cobweb by the way. She isthere at last! Come in, I beg!"
Mr Haredale entered, followed by the locksmith. Turning with alook of great astonishment to the old woman who had opened thedoor, he inquired for Mrs Rudge--for Barnaby. They were both gone,she replied, wagging her ancient head, for good. There was agentleman in the parlour, who perhaps could tell them more. Thatwas all SHE knew.
"Pray, sir," said Mr Haredale, presenting himself before this newtenant, "where is the person whom I came here to see?"
"My dear friend," he returned, "I have not the least idea."
"Your trifling is ill-timed," retorted the other in a suppressedtone and voice, "and its subject ill-chosen. Reserve it for thosewho are your friends, and do not expend it on me. I lay no claimto the distinction, and have the self-denial to reject it."
"My dear, good sir," said Mr Chester, "you are heated with walking.
Sit down, I beg. Our friend is--"
"Is but a plain honest man," returned Mr Haredale, "and quiteunworthy of your notice."
"Gabriel Varden by name, sir," said the locksmith bluntly.
"A worthy English yeoman!" said Mr Chester. "A most worthyyeoman, of whom I have frequently heard my son Ned--darling fellow-speak,and have often wished to see. Varden, my good friend, I amglad to know you. You wonder now," he said, turning languidly toMr Haredale, "to see me here. Now, I am sure you do."
Mr Haredale glanced at him--not fondly or admiringly--smiled, andheld his peace.
"The mystery is solved in a moment," said Mr Chester; "in a moment.
Will you step aside with me one instant. You remember our littlecompact in reference to Ned, and your dear niece, Haredale? Youremember the list of assistants in their innocent intrigue? Youremember these two people being among them? My dear fellow,congratulate yourself, and me. I have bought them off."
"You have done what?" said Mr Haredale.
"Bought them off," returned his smiling friend. "I have found itnecessary to take some active steps towards setting this boy andgirl attachment quite at rest, and have begun by removing these twoagents. You are surprised? Who CAN withstand the influence of alittle money! They wanted it, and have been bought off. We havenothing more to fear from them. They are gone."
"Gone!" echoed Mr Haredale. "Where?"
"My dear fellow--and you must permit me to say again, that younever looked so young; so positively boyish as you do to-night--theLord knows where; I believe Columbus himself wouldn"t find them.
Between you and me they have their hidden reasons, but upon thatpoint I have pledged myself to secrecy. She appointed to see youhere to-night, I know, but found it inconvenient, and couldn"twait. Here is the key of the door. I am afraid you"ll find itinconveniently large; but as the tenement is yours, your good-nature will excuse that, Haredale, I am certain!"
