THE REAL SIMON PURE PROVES THE WORSE OF THE TWO--I AM FOUND GUILTY, BUT
NOT CONDEMNED; CONVICTED, YET CONVINCE; AND AFTER HAVING BEHAVED THE
VERY CONTRARY TO, PROVE THAT I AM, A GENTLEMAN.
On our arrival, we found the table spread, champagne in ice under the
sideboard, and apparently everything prepared for a sumptuous dinner,
the major on the sofa giving directions to the waiter, and Timothy
looking all astonishment.
"Major," said I, "I cannot tell you how much I am obliged to you for
your kindness in taking all this trouble off my hands, that I might
follow up the agreeable introduction you have given me to Mr Harcourt."
"My dear Newland, say no more; you will, I dare say, do the same for me
if I require it, when I give a dinner. (Harcourt caught my eye, as if
to say, `You may safely promise that.') But, Newland, do you know that
the nephew of Lord Windermear has just arrived? Did you meet abroad?"
"No," replied I, somewhat confused; but I soon recovered myself. As for
Tim, he bolted out of the room. "What sort of a person is he?"
"That you may judge for yourself, my dear fellow, for I asked him to
join us, I must say, more out of compliment to Lord Windermear than
anything else; for I am afraid that even I could never make a gentleman
of him. But take Harcourt with you to your room, and by the time you
have washed your hands, I will have dinner on the table. I took the
liberty of desiring your valet to show me in about ten minutes ago.
He's a shrewd fellow that of yours--where did you pick him up?"
"By mere accident," replied I: "come, Mr Harcourt."
On our return we found the real Simon Pure, Mr Estcourt, sitting with
the major, who introduced us, and dinner being served, we sat down to
table.
Mr Estcourt was a young man, about my own age, but not so tall by two
or three inches. His features were prominent, but harsh; and when I saw
him, I was not at all surprised at Lord Windermear's expressions of
satisfaction, when he supposed that I was his nephew. His countenance
was dogged and sullen, and he spoke little: he appeared to place an
immense value upon birth, and hardly deigned to listen, except the
aristocracy were the subject of discourse. I treated him with marked
deference, that I might form an acquaintance, and found before we parted
that night, that I had succeeded. Our dinner was excellent, and we were
all, except Mr Estcourt, in high good humour. We sat late--too late to
go to the theatre, and promising to meet the next day at noon, Harcourt
and the major took their leave.
Mr Estcourt had indulged rather too much, and, after their departure,
became communicative. I plied the bottle, and we sat up for more than
an hour; he talked of nothing but his family and his expectations. I
took this opportunity of discovering what his feelings were likely to be
when he was made acquainted with the important secret which was in my
possession. I put a case somewhat similar and asked him whether in such
circumstances he would waive his right for a time, to save the honour of
his family.
"No, by Gad!" replied he, "I never would. What! give up even for a day
my right--conceal my true rank for the sake of relatives? never--nothing
would induce me."
I was satisfied, and then casually asked him if he had written to Lord
Windermear to inform him of his arrival.
"No," replied he; "I shall write to-morrow." He soon after retired to
his own apartment, and I rang for Timothy.
"Good heavens, sir!" cried Timothy, "what is all this--and what are you
about? I am frightened out of my wits. Why, sir, our money will not
last two months."
"I do not expect it will last much longer, Tim; but it cannot be helped.
Into society I must get--and to do so, must pay for it."
"But, sir, putting the expense aside, what are we to do about this Mr
Estcourt? All must be found out."
"I intend that it shall be found out, Tim," replied I; "but not yet. He
will write to his uncle to-morrow; you must obtain the letter, for it
must not go. I must first have time to establish myself, and then Lord
Windermear may find out his error as soon as he pleases."
"Upon my honour, Japhet, you appear to be afraid of nothing."
"I fear nothing, Tim, when I am following up the object of my wishes. I
will allow no obstacles to stand in my way, in my search after my
father."
"Really, you seem to be quite mad on that point, Japhet."
"Perhaps I may be, Tim," replied I, thoughtfully. "At all events, let
us go to bed now, and I will tell you to-morrow morning, all the events
of this day."
Mr Estcourt wrote his letter, which Tim very officiously offered to put
into the post, instead of which we put it between the bars of the grate.
I must now pass over about three weeks, during which I became very
intimate with the major and Mr Harcourt, and was introduced by them to
the clubs, and almost every person of fashion. The idea of my wealth,
and my very handsome person and figure, insured me a warm reception, and
I soon became one of the stars of the day. During this time, I also
gained the entire confidence of Mr Estcourt, who put letter after
letter into the hands of Timothy, who of course put them into the usual
place. I pacified him as long as I could, by expressing my opinion,
that his lordship was on a visit to some friends in the neighbourhood of
his seat; but at last, he would remain in town no longer. You may go
now, thought I, I feel quite safe.
It was about five days after his departure, as I was sauntering, arm and
arm, with the major, who generally dined with me about five days in the
week, that I perceived the carriage of Lord Windermear, with his
lordship in it. He saw us, and pulling his check-string, alighted, and
coming up to us, with the colour mounting to his forehead with emotion,
returned the salute of the major and me.
"Major," said he, "you will excuse me, but I am anxious to have some
conversation with Mr Newland: perhaps," continued his lordship,
addressing me, "you will do me the favour to take a seat in my
carriage?"
Fully prepared. I lost none of my self-possession, but, thanking his
lordship, I bowed to him, and stepped in. His lordship followed, and,
saying to the footman, "Home--drive fast," fell back in the carriage,
and never uttered one word until we had arrived, and had entered the
dining-parlour. He then took a few steps up and down, before he said,
"Mr Newland, or whatever your name may be, I perceive that you consider
the possession of an important secret to be your safeguard. To state my
opinion of your conduct is needless; who you are, and what you are, I
know not; but," continued he, no longer controlling his anger, "you
certainly can have no pretensions to the character of a gentleman."
"Perhaps your lordship," replied I, calmly, "will inform me upon what
you may ground your inference."
"Did you not, in the first place, open a letter addressed to another?"
"My lord, I opened a letter brought to me with the initials of my name,
and at the time I opened it I fully believed that it was intended for
me."
"We will grant that, sir; but after you had opened it you must have
known that it was for some other person."
"I will not deny that, my lord."
"Notwithstanding which, you apply to my lawyer, representing yourself as
another person, to obtain sealed papers."
"I did, my lord; but allow me to say, that I never should have done so,
had I not been warned by a dream."
"By a dream?"
"Yes, my lord. I had determined not to go for them, when in a dream I
was ordered so to do."
"Paltry excuse! and then you break private seals."
"Nay, my lord, although I did go for the papers, I could not, even with
the idea of supernatural interposition, make up my mind to break the
seals. If your lordship will recollect, it was you who broke the seals,
and insisted upon my reading the papers."
"Yes, sir, under your false name."
"It is the name by which I go at present, although I acknowledge it is
false; but that is not my fault--I have no other at present."
"It is very true, sir, that in all I have now mentioned the law will not
reach you; but recollect, that by assuming another person's name--"
"I never did, my lord," interrupted I.
"Well, I may say, by inducing me to believe that you were my nephew, you
have obtained money under false pretences; and for that I now have you
in my power."
"My lord, I never asked you for the money; you yourself paid it into the
banker's hands to my credit, and to my own name. I appeal to you now,
whether, if you so deceived yourself, the law can reach me?"
"Mr Newland, I will say, that much as I regret what has passed, I
regret more than all the rest, that one so young, so prepossessing, so
candid in appearance, should prove such an adept in deceit. Thinking
you were my nephew, my heart warmed towards you; and I must confess,
that since I have seen my real nephew, the mortification has been very
great."
"My lord, I thank you; but allow me to observe, that I am no swindler.
Your thousand pounds you will find safe in the bank, for penury would
not have induced me to touch it. But now that your lordship appears
more cool, will you do me the favour to listen to me? When you have
heard my life up to the present, and my motives for what I have done,
you will then decide how far I am to blame."
His lordship took a chair, and motioned to me to take another. I
narrated what had occurred when I was left at the Foundling, and gave
him a succinct account of my adventures subsequently--my determination
to find my father--the dream which induced me to go for the papers--and
all that the reader has already been acquainted with. His lordship
evidently perceived the monomania which controlled me, and heard me with
great attention.
"You certainly, Mr Newland, do not stand so low in my opinion as you
did before this explanation, and I must make allowances for the
excitement under which I perceive you to labour on one subject; but now,
sir, allow me to put one question, and I beg that you will answer
candidly. What price do you demand for your secrecy on this important
subject?"
"My lord!" replied I, rising with dignity; "this is the greatest affront
you have put upon me yet; still I will name the price by which I will
solemnly bind myself, by all my future hopes of finding my father in
this world, and of finding an eternal Father in the next, and that
price, my lord, is a return of your good opinion."
His lordship also rose, and walked up and down the room with much
agitation in his manner. "What am I to make of you, Mr Newland?"
"My lord, if I were a swindler, I should have taken your money; if I had
wished to avail myself of the secret, I might have escaped with all the
documents, and made my own terms. I am, my lord, nothing more than an
abandoned child, trying all he can to find his father." My feelings
overpowered me, and I burst into tears. As soon as I could recover
myself, I addressed his lordship, who had been watching me in silence,
and not without emotion. "I have one thing more to say to you, my
lord." I then mentioned the conversation between Mr Estcourt and
myself, and pointed out the propriety of not making him a party to the
important secret.
His lordship allowed me to proceed without interruption, and after a few
moments' thought said, "I believe that you are right, Mr Newland; and I
now begin to think that it was better that this secret should have been
intrusted to you than to him. You have now conferred an obligation on
me, and may command me. I believe you to be honest, but a little mad,
and I beg your pardon for the pain which I have occasioned you."
"My lord, I am more than satisfied."
"Can I be of any assistance to you, Mr Newland?"
"If, my lord, you could at all assist me, or direct me in my search--"
"There I am afraid I can be of little use; but I will give you the means
of prosecuting your search, and in so doing, I am doing but an act of
justice, for in introducing you to Major Carbonnell, I am aware that I
must have very much increased your expenses. It was an error which must
be repaired, and therefore, Mr Newland, I beg you will consider the
money at the bank as yours, and make use of it to enable you to obtain
your ardent wish."
"My lord--"
"I will not be denied, Mr Newland; and if you feel any delicacy on the
subject, you may take it as a loan, to be repaid when you find it
convenient. Do not, for a moment, consider that it is given to you
because you possess an important secret, for I will trust entirely to
your honour on that score."
"Indeed, my lord," replied I, "your kindness overwhelms me, and I feel
as if, in you, I had already _almost_ found a father. Excuse me, my
lord, but did your lordship ever--ever--"
"I know what you would say, my poor fellow: no, I never did. I never
was blessed with children. Had I been, I should not have felt that I
was disgraced by having one resembling you. Allow me to entreat you,
Mr Newland, that you do not suffer the mystery of your birth to weigh
so heavily on your mind; and now I wish you good morning, and if you
think I can be useful to you, I beg that you will not fail to let me
know."
"May Heaven pour down blessings on your head," replied I, kissing
respectfully his lordship's hand; "and may my father, when I find him,
be as like unto you as possible." I made my obeisance, and quitted the
house.