HIS CHILD!
Mr. Greenwood was sitting in his study,--the handsomely fitted-up room
which we have before described,--the same morning on which the babe was
restored to its mother, through the admirable feeling of Richard
Markham.
Mr. Greenwood was studying speeches for the ensuing session of
Parliament. He employed two secretaries who composed his orations; one
did the dry details, and the other the declamatory and rhetorical
portions. Each received thirty shillings a week, and worked from nine in
the morning until nine at night, with half an hour three times a day for
meals--which said meals were enjoyed at their own expense. And then Mr.
Greenwood hoped to reap all the honours resulting from this drudgery on
the part of his clerks.
The studies of the Member of Parliament were interrupted by the
introduction of Mr. Arthur Chichester.
"I am off to France to-morrow," said this gentleman, throwing himself
lazily upon a sofa; "and I called to see if I could do any thing for you
on that side of the water."
"No, nothing," answered Greenwood. "Do you propose to make a long stay
in France?"
"I shall honour Paris with my presence for about a month," said
Chichester.
"During which time," added Greenwood, with a smile, "you will contrive
to get rid of all the money which Mrs. Viola Chichester so generously
supplied."
"Generously indeed!" said Chichester, laughing heartily. "So far from
thinking of running through the money, I hope to double it. Although the
public gambling-houses have been abolished in France, there is plenty of
play at the private clubs. But you must not imagine that I have a
perfect fortune in my possession: the means adopted to obtain the cash
cost a mint of money: then were five hundred pounds to Tomlinson for his
assistance; five hundred to you for your aid, advice, and
advances--(there is a splendid alliteration for you!)--and three hundred
to poor Anthony Tidkins."
"Poor indeed!" ejaculated Greenwood. "According to what you told me, the
miserable wretch must be in a blessed state of pecuniary nudity."
"It was perfectly true," said Chichester. "When he came to meet me and
Tomlinson on the night that Viola was to be released, in the dark alley
adjoining his house, he was like a furious hyena. It seems that he had
awoke up ten minutes before the hour appointed for our meeting, and then
discovered his loss as I before described it to you."
"I should not like to have such a man as my enemy," observed Greenwood,
carelessly.
"Nor I either. Bless me, how he did swear! I never heard such
imprecations come from a human being's mouth before. He vowed that he
would undertake no other business, nor devote himself to any other
pursuit, until he had traced the woman who had robbed him, and avenged
himself upon her. Flaying alive, he said, was too good for her! Well, I
gave him twenty pounds, poor devil, through good nature; and Tomlinson
gave him ten through fear; for it appears that this Tidkins exercises
some extraordinary influence over that cowardly stock-broker--"
"Ahem!" said Greenwood. "And so poor Tidkins," he added, "did not set
out on his travels after the thief empty-handed?"
"By no means. But he is a useful fellow, and one might want him again."
"True," said Greenwood: "he is one of the necessary implements which men
of the world must make use of at times, to carve out their way to
fortune. Hare you heard any thing of your beloved wife?"
"Nothing more than what I have already told you," answered Chichester.
"She has given up her abode at the Cambridge Heath gate, and taken
apartments at a house in the very heart of the City, and where there are
plenty of other lodgers. She is determined to be secure. However,"
continued Chichester, with a smile, "so long as she holds her tongue
about that little matter--which she seems inclined to do--she need not
fear any further molestation from me."
"I question whether you would have released her that evening, had she
not made her escape," said Greenwood.
"Oh, indeed I should," returned Chichester; "I did not wish to push
things too far; and I really believe that another week's confinement in
that terrible place, which I have described to you, would have turned
her mad in reality. Then again, I should have been afraid of that
cowardly, snivelling fool, Tomlinson, who insisted upon accompanying me
to ensure her release. That man has every inclination to be a downright
rogue; but he lacks the courage."
"Have you seen your friend Harborough lately?" inquired Greenwood.
"To tell you the truth, he is going with me on my present expedition to
Paris. His name, you know, sounds well: Sir Rupert Harborough, Bart.,
son-in-law of Lord Tremordyn,--eh?"
"His name must be somewhat worn out, I should imagine," observed
Greenwood, playing with his watch-chain. "Have you seen Lady Cecilia?"
"No: she has her suite of apartments, and Sir Rupert has his--they do
not interfere with each other. Sir Rupert, however, notices that Lady
Cecilia has a great many visitors of the male sex; and amongst others,
an officer of the grenadier guards, seven feet seven inches high,
including his bear-skin cap."
"Indeed! Lady Cecilia is then becoming a confirmed demirep," observed
Greenwood, without pausing to think who helped to make her so.
"There is no doubt of that," said Chichester. "But you seem up to your
neck in business as usual."
"Yes: I am busily engaged in behalf of the Tory party," answered
Greenwood. "The future Premier has great confidence in me. I have bought
him over seven votes from the Whig side during the recess; and the
moment the Tories succeed to power, I shall be rewarded with a
baronetcy."
"You are making your way famously in the world," said Chichester, rising
to leave.
"Pretty well--pretty well," returned Greenwood, with a complacent smile.
Chichester then shook hands with his friend, and departed.
Half an hour elapsed, during which Mr. Greenwood pursued his studies,
when he was again interrupted by the entrance of a visitor.
This time it was Mr. Tomlinson, the stock-broker.
After having transacted a little pecuniary business together, Greenwood
said, "What have you done with the old man?"
"I have taken a lodging for him in an obscure street of Bethnal Green,
and there he is residing," answered Tomlinson.
"My plan was better," observed Greenwood, dogmatically: "you should have
had him locked up in one of Tidkins's subterranean cells, and allowed
three or four shillings a week for his maintenance."
"Impossible!" cried Tomlinson, indignantly. "I could never have acted so
unmanly--so ungrateful--so atrocious a part."
"Well, just as you please," returned the Member of Parliament: "of
course, you know best."
"We will not discuss that point," said Tomlinson.
"That is precisely what I said some time since to a deputation from the
free and independent electors of Rottenborough, when they sent to
remonstrate with me on a certain portion of my parliamentary conduct,"
observed Mr. Greenwood.
At this moment Lafleur entered and whispered something in his master's
ear.
Tomlinson took his leave, and the valet proceeded to admit Marian into
the presence of his master.
"Ah!" exclaimed Mr. Greenwood: "any thing wrong, Marian?"
"That may be according to the light in which you view the news I am come
to communicate, sir," replied the servant. "In a word, Miss Monroe's
father and Mr. Markham have discovered all."
"All! no--not _all_!" cried Greenwood, turning deadly pale; "surely
Ellen could not----"
"When I said _all_, sir," replied Marian, "I was wrong. Mr. Monroe and
my master have discovered that Miss Ellen is a mother; and her child is
now with her."
"What! at Markham Place?" demanded Greenwood.
"Yes, sir."
"And is it known also who--what person--the father, I mean----"
"Miss Ellen has maintained _that_ a profound secret, sir," said Marian.
"Thank heaven!" ejaculated Greenwood, now breathing freely. "But Mr.
Wentworth--the surgeon----"
"He has also promised to remain dumb relative to what little he knows.
You are best aware, sir, whether Miss Monroe has studied your wishes, or
your interests, in remaining silent herself relative to you, and in
recommending Mr. Wentworth, through me, to say nothing that may prove
that she is really acquainted with the father of her child."
"But how was the discovery made? Tell me all," exclaimed Greenwood
impatiently.
"The explanation is short. Mr. Wentworth sent a note relative to the
health of the infant, last evening, to Miss Monroe; and she
inadvertently left it upon the table in the same room where her father
was sitting."
"And her father--and Richard--Mr. Markham, I mean," said Greenwood, "are
acquainted but with the bare fact that she is a mother?"
"That is all, sir. But, oh! if you only knew the excuse that Miss Ellen
made to avoid additional explanations," continued Marian, "you
yourself--yes, you, sir, would be affected."
"What was that excuse?" demanded Greenwood.
"I can scarcely believe for one moment that it was true," said Marian,
musing, rather than replying to his question.
"But what was it?" cried the Member of Parliament, impatiently.
"Oh! she spoke of the misery to which her father and herself had once
been reduced, and she said that, prompted by despair, she had sold her
virtue to one whom she knew not--whom she had never seen before nor
since."
"Ah! she said _that_," murmured Greenwood. "And were her father and your
master satisfied?"
"The old man wept well-nigh to break his heart, and Mr. Markham said
that henceforth the child should stay with its mother in his house. Oh!
sir, there lives not a man of nobler disposition than my master: he is
all that is generous, humane, liberal, and upright!"
Mr. Greenwood turned aside, and appeared to contemplate some papers with
deep interest for nearly a minute; and then he passed a handkerchief
rapidly over his face.
Marian thought, as she afterwards informed Ellen, that he wiped tears
from his eyes!
He made no reply, however, to her observations; but rang the bell for
his French valet.
When Lafleur entered the room, Mr. Greenwood said, "You will proceed
immediately to the abode of Mr. Wentworth, at Holloway: you will hand
him from me this bank-note for fifty pounds; and you will say to him
these words: '_As the child has been removed through an unforeseen
occurrence from your care, its father sends you this as a small token of
his gratitude for the kindness you have manifested towards it; and he
hopes that, should you be questioned upon the subject, you will not
reveal the fact that you ever had the slightest communication from its
father._' Go--and return quickly."
Lafleur received the bank-note, bowed, and left the room.
"You can inform Miss Monroe of the step which I have thus taken to
ensure the surgeon's secrecy," said Greenwood, addressing himself to
Marian.
"I shall not fail to do so, sir," answered the servant.
She then withdrew.
When the door closed behind her, Greenwood threw himself back in his
chair, murmuring, "My child beneath Richard's roof!"