A CHAPTER FULL OF MORALITY, WHICH ENDS IN A JEW REFUSING UPWARDS OF 1000
POUNDS, PROVING THE MILLENNIUM TO BE NEARLY AT HAND.
This conversation took place the day after the funeral, and, attired in
deep mourning, I called upon his lordship, and was admitted. His
lordship had sent his carriage to attend the funeral, and was also in
mourning when he received me. I executed my commission, and after a
long conversation with his lordship, in which I confided to him the
contents of the will, and the amount of property of the deceased, I rose
to take my leave.
"Excuse me, Mr Newland," said he, "but what do you now propose to do?
I confess I feel a strong interest about you, and had wished that you
had come to me oftener without an invitation. I perceive that you never
will. Have you no intention of following up any pursuit?"
"Yes, my lord, I intend to search after my father; and I trust that, by
husbanding my unexpected resources, I shall now be able."
"You have the credit, in the fashionable world, of possessing a large
fortune."
"That is not my fault, my lord: it is through Major Carbonnell's mistake
that the world is deceived. Still I must acknowledge myself so far
participator, that I have never contradicted the report."
"Meaning, I presume, by some good match, to reap the advantage of the
supposition."
"Not so, my lord, I assure you. People may deceive themselves, but I
will not deceive them."
"Nor undeceive them, Mr Newland?"
"Undeceive them I will not; nay, if I did make the attempt, I should not
be believed. They never would believe it possible that I could have
lived so long with your relative, without having had a large supply of
money. They might believe that I had run through my money, but not that
I never had any."
"There is a knowledge of the world in that remark," replied his
lordship; "but I interrupted you, so proceed."
"I mean to observe, my lord, and you, by your knowledge of my previous
history, can best judge how far I am warranted in saying so, that I have
as yet steered the middle course between that which is dishonest and
honest. If the world deceives itself, you would say that, in strict
honesty, I ought to undeceive it. So I would, my lord, if it were not
for my peculiar situation; but at the same time I _never_ will, if
possible, be guilty of direct deceit; that is to say, I would not take
advantage of my supposed wealth, to marry a young person of large
fortune. I would state myself a beggar, and gain her affections as a
beggar. A woman can have little confidence in a man who deceives her
before marriage."
"Your secret will always be safe with me, Mr Newland; you have a right
to demand it. I am glad to hear the sentiments which you have
expressed; they are not founded, perhaps, upon the strictest code of
morality; but there are many who profess more who do not act up to so
much. Still, I wish you would think in what way I may be able to serve
you, for your life at present is useless and unprofitable, and may tend
to warp still more, ideas which are not quite so strict as they ought to
be."
"My lord, I have but one object in allowing the world to continue in
their error relative to my means, which is, that it procures for me an
entrance into that society in which I have a moral conviction that I
shall find my father. I have but one pursuit, one end to attain, which
is, to succeed in that search. I return you a thousand thanks for your
kind expressions and good will; but I cannot, at present, avail myself
of them. I beg your lordship's pardon, but did you ever meet the lady
with the ear-rings?"
Lord Windermear smiled. "Really, Mr Newland, you are a very strange
person; not content with finding out your own parents, you must also be
searching after other people's; not that I do not commend your conduct
in this instance; but I'm afraid, in running after shadows, you are too
indifferent to the substance."
"Ah, my lord! it is very well for you to argue who have had a father and
mother, and never felt the want of them; but if you knew how my heart
yearns after my parents, you would not be surprised at my perseverance."
"I am surprised at nothing in this world, Mr Newland; everyone pursues
happiness in his own way; your happiness appears to be centred in one
feeling, and you are only acting as the world does in general; but
recollect that the search after happiness ends in disappointment."
"I grant it but too often does, my lord; but there is pleasure in the
chase," replied I.
"Well, go, and may you prosper. All I can say is this, Mr Newland; do
not have that false pride not to apply to me when you need assistance.
Recollect, it is much better to be under an obligation, if such you will
consider it, than to do that which is wrong; and that it is a very false
pride which would blush to accept a favour, and yet not blush to do what
it ought to be ashamed of. Promise me, Mr Newland, that upon any
reverse or exigence, you will apply to me."
"I candidly acknowledge to your lordship, that I would rather be under
an obligation to anyone but you; and I trust you will clearly appreciate
my feelings. I have taken the liberty of refunding the one thousand
pounds you were so kind as to place at my disposal as a loan. At the
same time I will promise, that, if at any time I should require your
assistance, I will again request leave to become your debtor." I rose
again to depart.
"Farewell, Newland; when I thought you had behaved ill, and I offered to
better you, you only demanded my good opinion; you have it, and have it
so firmly, that it will not easily be shaken." His lordship then shook
hands with me, and I took my leave.
On my return I found Emmanuel, the money-lender, who had accompanied
Timothy, fancying that I was in want of more assistance, and but too
willing to give it. His surprise was very great when I told him that I
wished to repay the money I had borrowed.
"Vell, dis is very strange! I have lent my monish a tousand times, and
never once they did offer it me back. Vell, I will take it, sar."
"But how much must I give you, Mr Emmanuel, for the ten days' loan?"
"How moch--vy you remember, you vill give de bond money--de fifteen
hundred."
"What! five hundred pounds interest for ten days, Mr Emmanuel; no, no,
that's rather too bad. I will, if you please, pay you back eleven
hundred pounds, and that I think is very handsome."
"I don't want my monish, my good sar. I lend you one tousand pounds, on
de condition that you pay me fifteen hundred when you come into your
properties, which will be in very short time. You send for me, and tell
me you vish to pay back de monish directly; I never refuse monish--if
you wish to pay, I will take, but I will not take von farding less dan
de monish on de bond."
"Very well, Mr Emmanuel, just as you please; I offer you your money
back, in presence of my servant, and one hundred pounds for the loan of
it for ten days. Refuse it if you choose, but I earnestly recommend you
to take it."
"I will not have de monish, sar; dis is de child's play," replied the
Jew. "I must have my fifteen hundred--all in goot time, sar--I am in no
hurry--I vish you a very good morning, Mr Newland. Ven you vish for
more monish to borrow, I shall be happy to pay my respects." So saying,
the Jew walked out of the room, with his arm behind his back as usual.