Volume Ii Part 26 (1/2)

I half scrupled to say ”Yes” to this request, Tom. If there be anything particularly painful in shame above all others, it is for an old fellow to come to confession of his follies to a young one. It reverses their relative stations to each other so fatally that they never can stand rightly again. He saw this, or he seemed to see it, in a second, by my hesitation, for, quickly turning to Mr. Davis, he said, ”Our meeting here is a most opportune one, as you will perceive by this paper,”--giving him a letter as he spoke. Although I paid little attention to these words, I was soon struck by the change that had come over Mr. Davis. The fresh and rosy cheek was now blanched, the easy smile had departed, and a look of terror and dismay was exhibited in its place.

”Now, sir,” said Belton, folding up the doc.u.ment, ”you see I have been very frank with you. The charges contained in that letter I am in a position to prove. The Earl of Darewood has placed all the papers in my hands, and given me full permission as to how I shall employ them. Mr.

Dodd,” said he, addressing me, ”if I am not at liberty to ask you the history of that bill, there is at least nothing to prevent _my_ informing _you_ that all the names upon it are those of men banded together for purposes of fraud.”

”Take care what you say, sir,” said Davis, affecting to write down his words, but in his confusion unable to form a letter.

”I shall accept your caution as it deserves,” said Belton, ”and say that they are a party of professional swindlers,--men who cheat at play, intimidate for money, and even commit forgery for it.”

Davis moved towards the door, but Belton antic.i.p.ated him, and he sat down again without a word.

[Ill.u.s.tration: 314]

”Now, Mr. Davis,” said he, calmly, ”it is left entirely to my discretion in what way I am to proceed with respect to one of the parties to these frauds.” As he got thus far, the waiter entered, and presented a visiting-card, on which Belton said, ”Yes, show him upstairs;” and the next minute Lord George Tiverton made his appearance. He was already in the middle of the room ere he perceived me, and for the first time in my life I saw signs of embarra.s.sment and shame on his impa.s.sive features.

”They told me you were alone, Mr. Belton,” said he, angrily, and as if about to retire.

”For all the purposes you have come upon, my Lord, it is the same as though I were.”

”Is it blown, then?” asked his Lords.h.i.+p of Davis; and the other replied with an almost imperceptible nod. Muttering what sounded like a curse, Tiverton threw himself into a chair, drawing his hat, which he still wore, more deeply over his eyes.

I a.s.sure you, Tom, that so overwhelmed was I by this distressing scene,--for, say what you will, there is nothing so distressing as to see the man with whom you have lived in intimacy, if not actual friends.h.i.+p, suddenly displayed in all the glaring colors of scoundrelism. You feel yourself so humiliated before such a spectacle, that the sense of shame becomes like an atmosphere around you; I actually heard nothing,--I saw nothing. A scene of angry discussion ensued between Belton and the lawyer--Tiverton never uttered a word--of which I caught not one syllable. I could only mark, at last, that Belton had gained the upper hand, and in the other's subdued manner and submissive tone defeat was plainly written.

”Will Mr. Dodd deny his liability?” cried out Davis; and though, I suppose, he must have said the words many times over, I could not bring myself to suppose they were addressed to me.

”I shall not ask him that question.” said Belton, ”but _you_ may.”

”Hang it, Curl! you know it was a 'plant,'” said Tiverton, who was now smoking a cigar as coolly as possible. ”What's the use of pus.h.i.+ng them further? We 've lost the game, man!”

”Just so, my Lord,” said Belton; ”and notwithstanding all his pretended boldness, n.o.body is more aware of that fact than Mr. Curl Davis, and the sooner he adopts your Lords.h.i.+p's frankness the quicker will this affair be settled.”

Belton and the lawyer conversed eagerly together in half-whispers. I could only overhear a stray word or two; but they were enough to show me that Davis was pressing for some kind of a compromise, to which the other would not accede, and the terms of which came down successively from five hundred pounds to three, two, one, and at last fifty.

”No, nor five, sir,--not five s.h.i.+llings in such a cause!” said Belton, determinedly. ”I should feel it an indelible disgrace upon me forever to concede one farthing to a scheme so base and contemptible. Take my word for it, to escape exposure in such a case is no slight immunity.”

Davis still demurred, but it was rather with the disciplined resistance of a well-trained rascal than with the ardor of a strong conviction.

The altercation--for it was such--interested me wonderfully little, my attention being entirely bestowed on Tiverton, who had now lighted his third cigar, which he was smoking away vigorously, never once bestowing a look towards me, nor in any way seeming to recognize my presence. A sudden pause in the discussion attracted me, and I saw that Mr. Davis was handing over several papers, which, to my practical eye, resembled bills, to Belton, who carefully perused each of them in turn before enclosing them in his pocket-book.

”Now, my Lord, I am at your service,” said Belton; ”but I presume our interview may as well be without witnesses.”

”I should like to have Davis here,” replied Tiverton, languidly; ”seeing how you have bullied _him_ only satisfies me how little chance _I_ shall have with you.”

Not waiting to hear an answer to this speech, I arose and took my hat, and pressing Belton's hand cordially as I asked him to dinner for that day, I hurried out of the room. Not, however, without his having time to whisper to me,--

”That affair is all arranged,--have no further uneasiness on the subject.”