_Which, though perfectly natural, contains matters that not the most
ingenious person could foresee._
In the bar of the little tavern at Bramleigh, Doctor Rowel was seated
before a round table, on which stood a glass of cold sherry and water,
with a thin biscuit on a little plate beside it.
Now, during the former part of his life, the doctor had not by any means
been in the general habit of passing his time at such a place, and in
such a manner. Latterly, however, fear had made him suspicious; and
during the few years which I have said elapsed after his attempt to
bribe the lawyer, and while Fanny remained in the house of this latter
worthy, he had been haunted with certain undefinable terrors lest the
lawyer should at some time or other discover anything relating to the
subject on which they had so seriously differed, and on which he could
not but feel that he lay very much at Mr. Skin-well's mercy. To be
prepared for, and to counteract as far as he could, anything of this
kind, Mr. Rowel had mingled somewhat more than hitherto had been his
wont with the people of the village; although it was not until this
identical evening that he had heard anything tending to involve his
opponent, the lawyer, in the charge of having made use against him of
the results of that professional and confidential communication between
them already described. The information which had thus come to the
doctor's knowledge was of a nature to decide, in his opinion, the
existence of a plot on the part of Skinwell to discover the whole secret
to Fanny Woodruff, and then, with her concurrence, and in her name, to
take proceedings for the liberation of her father, and the recovery
of his property. Whether that information was true remains to be
seen; though certain enough it is, that Mr. Skinwell had employed
the intervening time in cultivating Fanny's friendship, and rendering
himself as agreeable to her as any middle-aged bachelor can reasonably
expect to be to a young maid.
Under these circumstances, the reflections which crowded on the mind
of Rowel were bitterness itself, and the more bitter, because he
stood indebted to no one save himself for being placed in his present
position. In imagination he saw himself reduced to the lowest extremity,
at which point he began to form resolutions for his own protection
against such a dreaded end. He fancied, perhaps, the lawyer might fall
sick before his plans were ripe, and that he himself might have to
attend him. Would that he might die suddenly!--that a fever would take
him off, or a plague seize him--or--yes--nobody questions a physician's
medicine--if--nay, he dare not trust his bewildered brain to think it.
He must be mad--worse than mad--to suffer such a thought to cross his
mind--and yet it came again and again--it _would_ come. He began to feel
fearful of himself,--to doubt whether he could trust himself to do right
rather than wrong, should misfortune place his opponent in his power.
While Skinwell lived, the doctor himself held all he had upon the
slender tenure of a dozen words, which might be spoken for the gain they
would bring,--or be uttered recklessly in a moment of anger,--or might
even drop out thoughtlessly, as one of those true things spoken in jest
which they who hear never forget.
Doctor Rowel looked up, and beheld the village lawyer before him, taking
a seat on the opposite side of the table. Rowel did not acknowledge his
entrance nor his presence, until after a few minutes of dead silence, in
which his face became as white as ashes with the secret emotions of his
mind. He then abruptly, and with hurried speech, put this question to
him, “Mr. Skinwell, I have heard something lately respecting you,--and
now I wish to know what it is you intend to do about that business of
mine?”
“Having already given my opinion, Doctor,” replied Skinwell, “I have
nothing more to say to you.”
“But I have something to say to you,” responded the physician. “I intend
to know for what purpose you have had that girl in your house so long,
before you and I part again.”
“Indeed!” exclaimed Skinwell, sarcastically, though still somewhat
flushed to find that his intentions had somehow become suspected; “then
you are not the first man, Doctor, I can assure you, who has intended a
great deal more than he could achieve. Do you imagine, because I am not
quite _knave_ enough for you, that I am quite fool enough to make myself
accountable to you for what I choose to do?”
“I intend to know that,” repeated Rowel, doggedly. “Do you mean to blow
to the world what has been made known to you in strict confidence as
a professional man? Because, if that is your principle, I tell
you beforehand, and to your face, that you are a disgrace to your
profession, and a d----d dishonourable scoundrel to boot.”
“Just hand me three and fourpence,” remarked Skinwell, with the most
provoking coolness, “for informing you that by talking in that manner
you are laying yourself open to a special action.”
“Do you mean to act the villain?” demanded Rowel, with increased
passion.
“Three and fourpence, Doctor,” demanded Skinwell.
“Ay!--you 're a mean cold-blooded scoundrel,” continued the doctor,
still more enraged.
Skinwell was somewhat aroused by this abuse, and replied in a more
biting temper, “Why, if you really want to know whether I intend to blow
you to the world, as you call it, I answer--yes. I am resolved to expose
your villany, and compel you to do justice in spite of yourself.”
“Oh, very well!” cried the doctor, rising from his seat, and striding
towards the door, “that is enough--say no more--that is all I want. Now
I know my man. But I'll tell you what,” and he turned half round in the
doorway, and looked at his antagonist with the fierce malignity of a
demon, “if physic can't beat law to the dogs at last, I 'll grant you
free grace to drain me to my last penny.” So saying, he hurried out of
the house.
The words which the lawyer had uttered seemed, like an echo a hundred
times repeated, to ring in Rowel's ears as a sound that would never die
away. He hurried along the village street more by instinct than present
knowledge, in the direction of the lawyer's house. On reaching it, he
knocked at the door, which was opened by Fanny.
“Young woman,” said he, “you remember what I told you when I first saw
you at Whinmoor? You have not mentioned a word to any one? Then take
care not to do so on any account. You are in danger. If Skinwell asks
you anything, do not utter a word, or the design I had in view for you
is ruined. If he tells you anything, do not believe him;--no matter
what it is, tell him you do not believe it. He is a scoundrel,--an
unmitigated villain,--and if you stay longer in this house you will
be ruined. Trust none of his promises. He may pretend that he wants to
marry you, but do not believe him; and if he says he knows something
about you and your family, take no notice of it; for it will be done
merely to get from you what I have told you to do. He may perhaps even
go so far as to say he knows where your father is--”
“My father!” exclaimed Fanny. “Why, who knows my father?”
“I say he may _say_ so,” replied Rowel, “for he will say anything; but
you must not believe him. The truth is, he has found out that I am doing
something for you, and he is determined to stop it if he can. But do not
let him talk to you. You must leave this house as early as possible. Be
cautious, above all things. I will soon see you again.” And the doctor
walked away.
“What, under heaven,” exclaimed Fanny, as she closed the door after him,
“can the man mean? I am in danger,--and master wants to marry me,--and
knows where my father is,--and I must leave here directly! What in the
world am I to do? for there seems no end to trouble!”
And then, according to the regular female rule in cases of difficulty of
this kind, she sat down and began to cry; and as she cried, she called
to mind that Mr. Skinwell had, more particularly of late, showed himself
unusually kind to her, and more so, indeed, than she ought to suffer.
Shortly afterwards Skinwell walked in. He had met Dr. Rowel in a part of
the road which warranted some suspicion that the latter might have been
up to his house, and accordingly he proceeded to question Fanny on the
subject.
After an awkward attempt or two to evade his inquiries, she at length
declared, that he came only upon some business which related merely to
herself, and therefore she could not explain it.
“There is no occasion,” replied he, “to explain it to me. I know it
well enough. That man is a scoundrel, Fanny,--worse by ten times ten
multiplied than anybody would imagine.”
“The very thing,” thought she, “that the doctor said of you.”
“Since so much has come out as this,” continued Skinwell, “and my plan
is about ripe, I do not hesitate to say that that man has been the ruin
of you and your family; and, but for him, you yourself would at this
very time have been--there is no knowing--anything but what you are.
Depend upon it, my dear, many a better man than Dr. Rowel has died in a
hempen neckcloth.”
The girl paid little regard to all this, for it was precisely the same
as her friend the doctor had declared he _would_ say; and yet she felt
doubtful which of the two to believe,--or were they not alike dishonest?
Skinwell's profession had not left him so heedless an observer of
human nature, as not to remark that, instead of his disclosures, as he
conceived them to be, being received with astonishment and wonder, Fanny
took comparatively little notice of them. However, he persevered,--“As
you and the doctor are so intimate, then,” continued he, “of course he
has told you something of your own history. Has he ever told you that
you have a father living?”
Fanny stood mute.
“He never told you that?” the lawyer repeated.
“Oh no!” exclaimed Fanny; “but if I truly have a father, do tell me
where he is, and I will do anything in the world for you!”
Now was the lawyer's time to make his proposals, which he did at some
length, promising that, in case they were agreed to, he would tell her
where her father was--he would liberate him from a dungeon worse than
any prison, and recover for him and herself the property that was now
unjustly withheld from them.
Fanny hung her head and blushed, and felt as though she could laugh or
cry, or do both perhaps together; but she could not speak.
“Well,” continued Skinwell, “I know what you think,--it is natural
enough. I admit that I am a little older than I was twenty years ago,
and probably not quite so eyeable to look upon as when I paid more
attention to personal appearances; but the time was when I had my day
as well as others, and, in fact, was considered one of the best in
Bramleigh.”
Since it is not what a man _has been_, but what he is, which is
considered in these cases, we need not feel surprised that the lawyer's
recommendation of himself failed to be considered a recommendation by
her to whom it was addressed; and though the temptation offered was
great enough, she calmly, yet firmly rejected any idea of agreeing to
the terms proposed. Her refusal aroused the lawyer's indignation, and,
for the time, converted the only man who could prove eminently useful
to her as a friend into a bitter enemy. He vowed that her father's bones
should rot on the floor where he lay, before he would open his lips
to assist him; and, declaring that Fanny would live to repent her
determination, he left the room.