I fall very much in love with honesty because I find that it is
well received in the world--and to prove my honesty, inform the
whole world that honest I have never been.
I proved the will of Major Carbonnell, in which there was no difficulty;
and then I sat down to consider in what way I might best husband my
resources. The house was in good repair, and well furnished. At the time
that I lived with the Major, we had our drawing-room, and his bedroom,
and another room equally large, used as his dressing-room, on the first
floor. The second floor was appropriated to me, and the sitting-room was
used as a dining-room when we dined at home, which was but seldom. The
basement was let as a shop, at one hundred pounds per annum, but we had
a private door for entrance, and the kitchens and attics. I resolved to
retain only the first floor, and let the remainder of the house; and I
very soon got a tenant at sixty pounds per annum. The attics were
appropriated to Timothy and the servants belonging to the lodger.
After having disposed of what was of no service to me, I found that,
deducting the thousand pounds paid into the banker's, for Lord
Windermear, I had a little above three thousand pounds in ready money,
and what to do with this I could not well decide. I applied to Mr
Masterton, stating the exact amount of my finances, on the day that I
dined with him, and he replied, "You have two good tenants, bringing you
in one hundred and sixty pounds per annum--if this money is put out on
mortgage, I can procure you five per cent., which will be one hundred
and fifty pounds per annum. Now, the question is, do you think that you
can live upon three hundred and ten pounds per annum? You have no rent
to pay, and I should think that, as you are not at any great expense for
a servant, you might, with economy, do very well. Recollect, that if
your money is lent on mortgage, you will not be able to obtain it at a
moment's warning. So reflect well before you decide."
I consulted with Timothy, and agreed to lend the money, reserving about
two hundred pounds to go on with, until I should receive my rents and
interest. On the Friday I went to dine with Mr Masterton, and narrated
what had passed between me and Lady Maelstrom. He was very much
diverted, and laughed immoderately. "Upon my faith, Mr Newland, but you
have a singular species of madness; you first attack Lord Windermear,
then a bishop, and, to crown all, you attack a dowager peeress. I must
acknowledge, that if you do not find out your parents, it will not be
for want of inquiry. Altogether, you are a most singular character; your
history is most singular, and your good fortune is equally so. You have
made more friends before you have come to age, than most people do in
their whole lives. You commence the world with nothing, and here you
are, with almost a competence--have paid off a loan of one thousand
pounds, which was not required--and are moving in the best society. Now
the only drawback I perceive in all this is, that you are in society
under false colours, having made people suppose that you are possessed
of a large fortune."
"It was not exactly my assertion, sir."
"No, I grant, not exactly; but you have been a party to it, and I cannot
allow that there is any difference. Now, do you mean to allow this
supposition to remain uncontradicted?"
"I hardly know what to say, sir; if I were to state that I have nothing
but a bare competence, it will be only injurious to the memory of Major
Carbonnell. All the world will suppose that he has ruined me, and that I
had the fortune, whereas, on the contrary, it is to him that I am
indebted for my present favourable position."
"That may be very true, Mr Newland; but if I am to consider you as my
protege, and I may add the protege of Lord Windermear, I must make you
_quite honest_--I will be no party to fraud in any shape. Are you
prepared to resign your borrowed plumes, and appear before the world as
you really are?"
"There is but one inducement, sir, for me to wish that the world may
still deceive themselves. I may be thrown out of society, and lose the
opportunity of discovering my parents."
"And pray, Mr Newland, which do you think is more likely to tend to the
discovery, a general knowledge that you are a foundling in search of
your parents, or your present method, of taxing everybody upon
suspicion. If your parents wish to reclaim you, they will then have
their eyes directed towards you, from your position being known; and I
will add, there are few parents who will not be proud of you as a son.
You will have the patronage of Lord Windermear, which will always secure
you a position in society, and the good wishes of all, although, I
grant, that such worldly people as Lady Maelstrom may strike your name
off their porter's list. You will, moreover, have the satisfaction of
knowing that the friends which you make have not been made under false
colours and appearances, and a still further satisfaction, arising from
a good conscience."
"I am convinced, sir, and I thank you for your advice. I will now be
guided by you in everything."
"Give me your hand, my good lad, I now will be your friend to the utmost
of my power."
"I only wish, sir," replied I, much affected, "that you were also my
father."
"Thank you for the wish, as it implies that you have a good opinion of
me. What do you mean to do?"
"I have promised my friend Mr Harcourt to go down with him to his
father's."
"Well?"
"And before I go I will undeceive him."
"You are right; you will then find whether he is a friend to you or to
your supposed ten thousand pounds per annum. I have been reflecting, and
I am not aware that anything else can be done at present than
acknowledging to the world who you really are, which is more likely to
tend to the discovery of your parents than any other means, but at the
same time I shall not be idle. All we lawyers have among us strange
secrets, and among my fraternity, to whom I shall speak openly, I think
it possible that something may be found out which may serve as a clue.
Do not be annoyed at being cut by many, when your history is known;
those who cut you are those whose acquaintance and friendship are not
worth having; it will unmask your flatterers from your friends, and you
will not repent of your having been honest; in the end, it is the best
policy, even in a worldly point of view. Come to me as often as you
please; I am always at home to you, and always your friend."
Such was the result of my dinner with Mr Masterton, which I narrated to
Timothy as soon as I returned home. "Well, Japhet, I think you have
found a real friend in Mr Masterton, and I am glad that you have decided
upon following his advice. As for me, I am not under false colours, I am
in my right situation, and wish no more."
In pursuance of my promise to Mr Masterton, I called upon Harcourt the
next morning, and after stating my intention to go down for a day or two
into the country to see a little girl who was under my care, I said to
him, "Harcourt, as long as we were only town acquaintances, mixing in
society, and under no peculiar obligation to each other, I did not think
it worth while to undeceive you on a point in which Major Carbonnell was
deceived himself, and has deceived others; but now that you have offered
to introduce me into the bosom of your family, I cannot allow you to
remain in error. It is generally supposed that I am about to enter into
a large property when I come of age; now, so far from that being the
case, I have nothing in the world but a bare competence, and the
friendship of Lord Windermear. In fact, I am a deserted child, ignorant
of my parents, and most anxious to discover them, as I have every reason
to suppose that I am of no mean birth. I tell you this candidly, and
unless you renew the invitation, shall consider that it has not been
given."
Harcourt remained a short time without answering. "You really have
astonished me, Newland; but," continued he, extending his hand, "I
admire--I respect you, and I feel that I shall like you better. With ten
thousand pounds a-year, you were above me--now we are but equals. I, as
a younger brother, have but a bare competence, as well as you; and as
for parents--for the benefit I now derive from them, I might as well
have none. Not but my father is a worthy, fine old gentleman, but the
estates are entailed; he is obliged to keep up his position in society,
and he has a large family to provide for, and he can do no more. You
have indeed an uncommon moral courage to have made this confession. Do
you wish it to be kept a secret?"
"On the contrary, I wish the truth to be known."
"I am glad that you say so, as I have mentioned you as a young man of
large fortune to my father, but I feel convinced, when I tell him this
conversation, he will be much more pleased in taking you by the hand,
than if you were to come down and propose to one of my sisters. I repeat
the invitation with double the pleasure that I gave it at first."
"I thank you, Harcourt," replied I; "some day I will tell you more. I
must not expect, however, that everybody will prove themselves as noble
in ideas as yourself."
"Perhaps not, but never mind that. On Friday next then, we start."
"Agreed." I shook hands and left him.