"Yes," said Dr Knatchbull, confidently; "he will get over it now.
Can't say," he said, rubbing his hands in his satisfaction, "whether
it's the doctor's physic or the patient's physique, but one of them has
worked wonders. What do you say, Miss Van Heldre?"
"That we can never be sufficiently grateful to you."
"Never," cried Mrs Van Heldre, wringing his hand. "Bah!" exclaimed the
doctor, "that's what you people say now that you have got to the turn;
but by-and-by when I send in my bill--and I mean to make this a pretty
stiff one, Mrs Van Heldre--you will all be as grumpy as possible, and
think it a terrible overcharge."
"Well, really, Dr Knatchbull," began Mrs Van Heldre, ruffling up like
an aggravated hen, "I am quite sure my dear husband will pay any--"
"Mamma, mamma, dear!" cried Madelaine, smiling through her tears; "can
you not see that Dr Knatchbull is laughing at us?"
"No, my dear," said the little lady angrily; "but if he is, I must say
that it is too serious a matter for a joke."
"So it is, my dear madam," said the doctor, taking her hand, "far too
serious; but I felt in such high spirits to find that we have won the
fight, that I was ready to talk any nonsense. All the same though, with
some people it's as true as true."
"Yes, but we are not some people," said Mrs Van Heldre. "But now tell
us what we are to do."
"Nothing, my dear madam, but let him have rest and peace."
"But he has been asking for Mr Crampton this morning, and that means
business."
"Well, let him see him to-morrow, if he asks. If he is not allowed, he
will fidget, and that will do him more harm than seeing him, only I
would not let him dwell on the attack. Divert his attention all you
can, and keep from him all you possibly can about the Vines."
John Van Heldre did not ask for his confidential clerk for two days
more, the greater part of which time he spent in sleep; but in the
intervals he talked in a low voice to his wife or Madelaine, not even
alluding once, to their great surprise, to the cause of his illness.
"He must know it, mamma," said Madelaine, sadly; "and he is silent, so
as to spare me."
At last the demand for Crampton was made, and the old clerk heard it
looking eager and pleased.
"At last ma'am," said Crampton, rubbing his hands.
"You'll go up very quietly, Mr Crampton," said Mrs Van Heldre. "If
you would not mind."
She pointed to a pair of slippers she had laid ready. The old clerk
looked grim, muttered something about the points of his toes, and ended
by untying his shoes, and putting on the slippers.
Madelaine was quite right, for no sooner had Van Heldre motioned the
clerk to a chair by the bed's head, learned that all was right in his
office, and assured the old man that he was mending fast, than he opened
upon him regarding the attack that night.
"Was that money taken?" he said, quickly.
"Is it right for you to begin talking about that so soon?" replied
Crampton.
"Unless you want me to go backwards, yes," said his employer, sharply.
"There, answer my questions. I have nothing the matter now; only weak,
and I cannot ask any one else."
"I'm your servant, Mr Van Heldre," said Crampton, stiffly. "Go on,
sir."
"That money, then?"
"Gone, sir, every note. Five hundred pounds."
"Dead loss," said Van Heldre; "but it must be repaid."
"Humph! pretty opinion you seem to have of me, sir, as a confidential
clerk."
"What do you mean, Crampton?"
"Mean, sir? Why, that I did my duty, and stopped every note at the Bank
of England, of course."
"You did that, Crampton?"
"Yes, sir; and those notes are of no use to anybody."
"Capital. Hah! that's better. Five hundred just coming on the other
misfortune worried me. Why, Crampton, that's a white paper plaster for
my sore head."
"Glad you're satisfied, sir."
"More than satisfied. Now tell me: have the police any notion who
committed the robbery?" Crampton nodded. "Do you know?"
Crampton looked at his employer curiously, and nodded again.
"Have they taken any one?"
"No, sir," said the old man sadly.
"Hah! That's bad. Who was it?"
"Well, sir, you know of course."
"I? No!"
"You don't know, sir?"
"I have no idea, Crampton. I heard a noise, and went in and surprised
the scoundrel, but it was quite dark, and as I tried to seize him I was
struck down."
"And you mean to assure me, sir, that you don't know who it was?"
"I have not the most remote idea."
"Well then, sir, I must tell you it was him who had been robbing you
ever since the first day he came to us."
"Robbing me?"
"Well, not exactly of money in hard cash, but of your time, which is
just the same. Time's money. Always an hour late."
Van Heldre turned upon him fiercely. "Crampton, can you let your
prejudice go so far as to suspect that young man?"
"Yes, sir. I can... Suspect? No, I am sure. I doubted him from the
first."
"It is monstrous. You were unjust to him from the first."
"I, sir?"
"Yes. But then how can a man who has never had a child be just to the
weaknesses of the young?"
"I can be just, sir, and I have been. You don't know the supercilious
way in which that boy treated me from the day he entered our office.
Always late, and as soon as he was settled down to his work, in must
come that scoundrel with the French name to ask for him, and get him
away. Why, Mr Van Heldre, sir, if I hadn't been a law-abiding subject
of her most gracious Majesty Queen Victoria, I'd have knocked that man
down."
"Pish!" said Van Heldre impatiently, as he lay back frowning, and
looking very thoughtful. "I am sorry that you should have entertained
such a suspicion about the son of my old friend."
"Ah!" sighed Crampton. "Poor Mr Vine! It's heart-breaking work, sir.
It is, indeed."
"Heart-breaking!" said Van Heldre. "It is atrocious. There, I will not
speak angrily, Crampton."
"No, sir. You must not; and now I'm going, sir. You've talked twice as
much as is good for you."
"Sit down," said Van Heldre sternly.
Crampton, who had moved towards the door, slowly resumed his place.
"I am not too weak to talk about this terrible accusation. I am not
going to say much now, only to ask you to throw aside all this prejudice
and to look upon the mishap as an unfortunate occurrence. Come,
Crampton, be a little broader. Don't be so ready to suspect the first
person you dislike, and then to keep obstinately to your opinion."
"Better not talk any more," said Crampton, shortly.
"I must talk," said Van Heldre, more sternly. "Mind this, Crampton, you
are wrong."
The care, want of rest, and anxiety had produced a state of acidity in
the old clerk's organisation which had made him exceptionally irritable.
"Wrong, eh?" he said sharply.
"Yes; and I must call upon you to be careful to keep these fancies to
yourself."
"Fancies, sir?"
"Yes, fancies, man. I would not on any consideration have Mr Vine know
that such a suspicion had existed in my office, and--"
He paused for a few moments, and then held out his hand to the old
clerk, who took it, and felt his own gripped warmly.
"Come, Crampton," continued Van Heldre, smiling; "after all these years
together, I trust we are something more than master and man. You have
always proved yourself a friend in the way in which you have looked
after my interests."
"I've always tried to do my duty, Mr Van Heldre."
"And you always have done your duty--more than duty. Now just go
quietly down, and ask Henry Vine to step up-stairs with you. I must
have this put straight at once. Crampton, you and my old friend's son
must make a fresh start."
Crampton's fresh countenance grew dingy-looking, and Van Heldre felt his
hand twitch.
"Come, I tell you that your suspicions are absurd, and I must have you
two work well together. The young man only wants a little humouring to
make him all that we could wish. Go and fetch him up."
"He--he is not here this morning, sir," gasped Crampton, at last.
"Not here?"
"No, sir," said the old man hastily; and he passed the hand at liberty
across his face.
"I am sorry. I should have liked to settle this, now it is on my mind."
Crampton looked wildly towards the door, in the hope that the coming of
wife or daughter would bring about a diversion.
"Of course," said Van Heldre suddenly, "you have not shown the young man
that you have had this idea in your head?"
Crampton was silent, and as Van Heldre looked at him he saw the great
beads of perspiration were standing upon his face.
"Why, good heavens, Crampton," he cried, "you have not breathed a word
of all this to a soul?"
The old clerk looked at him wildly.
"Ah! you are keeping something back," said Van Heldre.
"Hush, sir, hush!" cried the old clerk in alarm; "for goodness sake
don't be excited. Think of how weak you are."
"Then answer," said Van Heldre, in a low whisper. "Tell me what you
have done."
"I--I did everything for the best, sir."
"Henry Vine! You did not accuse him of this terrible affair?"
Crampton's face grew gradually hard and stern. His tremulous state
passed off, and he turned as if at bay.
"Crampton! Good heavens, man! What have you done."
"I had to think of you, sir, lying here. Of Mrs Van Heldre, sir, and
of Miss Madelaine."
"Yes, yes; but speak, man. What have you done?"
"My duty, sir."
"And accused him of this--this crime?"
Crampton was silent.
"Are you mad? Oh, man, man, you must have been mad."
Crampton drew a long breath.
"Do my wife and daughter know?"
"Yes, sir," said Crampton slowly.
"And--and they have spoken as I speak? They told you it was prejudice."
Crampton drew a long breath once more.
"Don't, pray don't say any more, sir--not now," he said at last
pleadingly.
"They--surely they don't--there, quick! Ring that bell."
"Mr Van Heldre, sir. Pray--pray don't take it like that; I on'y did my
duty by you all."
"Duty! In a fit of madness to make such a charge as this and prejudice
others!" cried Van Heldre angrily. "Ring that bell, man. I cannot rest
till this is set right."
"Think, sir, how I was situated," pleaded the old clerk. "You were
robbed; I saw you lying, as I thought, dying, and I saw the scoundrel
who had done all this escape. What could I do but call in the police?"
"The police! Then it is known by every one in the place?"
Crampton looked pityingly down at the anguished countenance before him.
"And Henry Vine? He refuted your charge? Speak, man, or you will drive
me mad."
"Henry Vine did not deny the charge, sir. He was manly enough for
that."
"Crampton, is this all true?"
"It was my duty, sir."
"He does not deny it? Oh! it seems monstrous. But you said the police;
you gave information. Crampton--his father--his sister--my poor child!"
"Is saved from a villain, Mr Van Heldre?" cried the old clerk fiercely.
"Better she should have died than have married such a man as he."
"And I--I lying here helpless as a child," said the sick man feebly.
"But this must all be stopped. Crampton, you should not have done all
this. Now go at once, fetch George Vine here, and--Henry--the young
man. Where is he?"
"Gone, sir, to answer for his crime," said the old man solemnly. "Henry
Vine is dead."