Miles Wallingford Part 39

"Yet, Mrs. Hardinge has seen me often in a round-about, and pa.s.sed hours in my company, when I have been dressed just as I am at this moment."

"Ay, at sea. One gets used to everything at sea. Good evening; I'll bear you in mind, Wallingford, and may do something for you. I am intimate with the heads of all the princ.i.p.al mercantile houses, and shall bear you in mind, certainly. Good evening, Wallingford.--A word with you, Marble, before we part."

I smiled bitterly--and walked proudly from before Rupert's door. Little did I then know that Lucy was seated within thirty feet of me, listening to Andrew Drewett's conversation and humour. Of the mood in which she was listening, I shall have occasion to speak presently. As for Marble, when he overtook me, I was informed that Rupert had stopped him in order to ascertain our address;--a piece of condescension for which I had not the grace to be thankful.

Chapter XXVII.

"The weary sun hath made a golden set, And, by the bright track of his fiery car, Gives token of a goodly day to-morrow."

Shakspeare.

I was quite as much surprised at my own manner towards Rupert, as he could be himself. No doubt he ascribed it to my fallen fortune, for, at the commencement of the interview, he was a good deal confused, and his confidence rose in proportion as he fancied mine was lessened. The moderation I manifested, however, was altogether owing to Lucy, whose influence on my feelings never ceased. As for Marble, he thought all was right, and was very decided in his approval of Rupert's behaviour and appearance.

"'Tisn't every man that _can_ make a seaman, Miles," he said, "for it's a gift that comes nat'rally, like singing, or rope-dancing. I dare say Rupert will do very well ash.o.r.e, in the gentleman line, though he's no great catch afloat, as all will admit who ever sailed with him. The lad don't want for stuff; but it's sh.o.r.e stuff, a'ter all; and that will never pa.s.s muster in blue water. I dare say, now, this Imperor-Gineral, Bonaparte, would make a b.l.o.o.d.y poor s.h.i.+pmaster, if a body was to try him."

I made no answer, and we strolled on until dark. Then we returned to our lodgings, and turned-in. Next morning we breakfasted with the rest, and I was about to set out in search of a lawyer, to take his opinion on the subject of my insurance, though I had little or no hope of recovering anything, when I was told two gentlemen wished to see me. At first sight, I fancied that more editors were in quest of news; but we were no sooner alone together, than one of these persons let me into the secret of his errand, in a way that was well enough as respects the _suaviter in modo_, while it could not be said to be in the least deficient in the _fort.i.ter in re_.

"I am sorry to say, Capt. Wallingford," this person commenced "that I have a writ to arrest you, for a sum that will require very respectable bail--no less than sixty thousand dollars."

"Well done, my upright cousin," I muttered; "this is losing no time, certainly. I owe half that money, I admit, sir, if my farm only sold for five thousand dollars, as I hear, and I suppose I am arrested for the penalty of my bond. But, at whose suit am I thus pursued?"

Here, the second person announced himself as the attorney of the plaintiff, excusing his presence on the pretence that he hoped to be of service in amicably arranging the affair.

"My client is Mr. Thomas Daggett, of Clawbonny, Ulster county, who holds your bonds as the administrator of the estate of the late John Wallingford, deceased, a gentleman to whom I believe you were related."

"The _late_ John Wallingford! Is my cousin then dead?"

"He departed this life eight months since, dying quite unexpectedly.

Letters of administration have been granted to Mr. Daggett, who is a son of his mother's sister, and a princ.i.p.al heir, the party dying intestate.

It is a great pity that the law excludes you from the succession, being as you are of the name."

"My kinsman gave me reason to think I _was_ to be his heir, as it was understood he was to be mine. My will in his favour was left in his hands."

"We are aware of that, sir, and your death being supposed, for a considerable period, it was thought your personals would descend to us, in part, by devise, which might have prevented the necessity of taking the unpleasant step to which we are now driven. The question was, which died first, you, or your cousin, and that fact, you will easily understand, we had no means of establis.h.i.+ng. As it is, the duty of the administrator compels him to proceed, with as little delay as possible."

"I have no alternative, then, but to go to gaol. I know not the person on earth, I can or could ask to become my bail for a sum as large as even that I justly owe, to say nothing of the penalty of the bond,'"

"I am very sorry to hear this, Captain Wallingford," Mr. Meekly, the attorney, very civilly replied. "We will walk together, leaving the officer to follow. Perhaps the matter may be arranged amicably."

"With all my heart, sir. But, before quitting this house, I will discharge my bill, and communicate my position to a couple of friends, who are waiting in the pa.s.sage."

Neb was one of these friends: for I felt I was fast getting into a condition which rendered the friends.h.i.+p of even my slaves of importance to me. That worthy fellow and Marble joined us on a signal from me, when I simply let them into the secret of my affairs.

"Arrested!" said Moses, eyeing the sheriff's officer with sovereign contempt; though he was a st.u.r.dy fellow, and one who had every disposition to do his duty. "Arrested! Why, Miles, you can handle both these chaps, yourself; and, with Neb's and my a.s.sistance, could work 'em up into spun-yarn without a winch!"

"That may be true, Moses: but I cannot handle the law, even with your powerful aid; nor should I wish to, if I could. I am bound to gaol, my friends,--having no bail,--so----"

"Bail! Why _I_'ll be your bail; and, if you want two, there's Neb."

"I fancy the gentleman don't much understand being taken on a writ," the attorney simpered.

"I not understand it! That's a b.l.o.o.d.y poor guess of your'n, my friend.--When we had the sc.r.a.pe with the Hamburghers, in Philadelphy,--it's now coming thirty years,--"

"Never mind all that just now, Moses. I wish you to pay my bill here; give Neb the small bag of my clothes to bring up to the gaol, and keep my other effects under your own care. Of course you will come to see me, by-and bye: but I now _order_ you not to follow us."

I then left the house, with a rapidity that gave the officer some uneasiness, I believe. Once in the street, however, my pace became more moderate; and dropping alongside of the attorney, we fell into discourse on the subject of the arrangement.

"To be frank with you, Captain Wallingford," said Meekly, "my client never expects to recover the full amount of his demand: it being understood your personals are now limited to certain jewelry; the stock of your late farm; a few negroes; a sloop; some furniture, &c. No, sir, we do not expect to obtain the whole of our demand. Certain securities in our hands will extinguish much of it, though a large balance will remain."

"As Mr. Daggett has already got real estate richly worth five-and-thirty thousand dollars, and which brings a clear two thousand a-year,--to say nothing of its advantages as a residence,--besides bonds and mortgages for twenty odd thousand more, I am fully sensible of his moderation. The forty thousand dollars I owed my cousin will be amply repaid to his heirs, though I pa.s.s my life in jail."

"You misapprehend the affair, entirely. Mr. Daggett does not hold Clawbonny as administrator at all; but as a purchaser under a mortgage sale. He did not buy it himself, of course; but has received a deed from a nephew of his, who was a _bond fide_ bidder. The amount bid,--five thousand, two hundred and fifty dollars,--is duly endorsed on your bond, and you have credit for it. If no one bid higher, the property had to go."

"Yes, sir: I very well understand how property goes, in the absence of the debtor, at forced sales. But what is the nature of the proposition you intend to make?"

"Mr. Daggett understands you possess some very valuable pearls, that are supposed to be worth one thousand dollars, with a good deal of plate, &c., &c. Now he proposes that you a.s.sign to the estate he represents all your personals at an appraisal, when he will credit you with the amount, and suspend proceedings for the balance. In a word--give you time."

"And what idea has Mr. Daggett of the sum I should thus receive?"

"He is disposed to be liberal, and thinks you might get credit for about four thousand dollars."

"My personal property, including the pearls of which you speak, quite a thousand dollars worth of plate, even at the price of old silver, the sloop, the stock, horses, carriages, farming utensils, and without counting the slaves, all of whom I intend to set free, if the law will allow it, must nearly or quite double that sum, sir. Unless Mr. Daggett is disposed to raise his views of the value of my effects, I should prefer to remain in custody, and see what I can do by private sale. As he will receive every cent of the securities received from my sister's estate, quite $22,000, and now possesses more than $5,000 from Clawbonny, the balance I shall really owe cannot exceed $13,000."

"Were you to confess judgment, sir, and leave the property under execution--"

"I'll do nothing of the sort, Mr. Meekly--on that subject my mind is made up. One forced sale is quite enough for a novice."

"We shall soon reach the jail, sir--perhaps its sight may--"

"It will not, sir. Whenever Mr. Daggett shall be disposed to receive my property at a just valuation, I may be ready to arrange the matter with him, for I have no disposition to deny the debt, or to avoid its payment; but, as he has adopted his own mode of proceeding, I am ready to abide by it. Good morning, Mr. Meekly; I see no use in your accompanying me any further."

I was thus decided, because I saw I had to deal with an extortioner. A rogue himself, Mr. Daggett was afraid I might get rid of my personal property before he could issue an execution by the regular mode; and he antic.i.p.ated frightening or constraining me into an arrangement. It would be my business to disappoint him; and I a.s.sumed an air of confidence that soon shook off my companion. A few minutes later, the key of the old stone debtor's jail was turned upon me. I had a little money, and reluctant to be shut up with the company I found in the building, I succeeded in procuring a small, ill-furnished room, to myself.

These preliminaries were hardly settled, when Neb was admitted with the bag. The poor fellow had been in tears; for he not only felt for me, but he felt for the disgrace and misfortune which had alighted on the whole Clawbonny stock. He had yet to learn that the place itself was gone, and I shrank from telling him the fact; for, to his simple mind, it would be like forcing body and soul asunder. All the negroes considered themselves as a part of Clawbonny, and a separation must have appeared in their eyes like some natural convulsion. Neb brought me a letter. It was sealed with wax, and bore the impression of the Hardinge arms. There was also an envelop, and the address had been written by Rupert. In short, everything about this letter denoted ease, fas.h.i.+on, fastidiousness, and the observance of forms. I lost no time in reading the contents, which I copy, verbatim.

"_Broadway, Wednesday morning._

"Dear Wallingford,

"It has just occurred to me that the enclosed may be of service to you; and I reproach myself for not having bethought me of your probable necessities when I saw you. I regret it is not in my power to ask you to dine with me, _en famille_, to-day; but Mrs. Hardinge has company, and we are engaged out every other day this week. I shall fall in with you again, some day, however, when I hope to be less engaged. Lucy has just heard of your safety and arrival, and has gone to write a note to my father, who will be glad to learn you are still in the land of the living. The General, who lives with us, desires to be mentioned, and hopes when he returns to England, it may be as your pa.s.senger. Adieu, dear Wallingford; I shall never forget our boyish pranks, which, I dare say, sometimes cause you to smile.

"Your's, &c.