``Gentlemen,'' said the elder person, addressing the patients, ``I called here yesterday, like a fool, to ask who had stolen from me a sum of money which I believed I left in my room on going out in the morning.This doctor here and his spirits contrived to make me suspect my only son.Well, I charged him at once with the crime as soon as I got back home, and what do you think he did? He said, `Father, let us go up-stairs and look for it,' and--''
Here the young man broke in with: ``Come, father; don't worry yourself for nothing'';and then turning, added: ``To cut the thing short, he found the notes under his candle-stick, where he left them on going to bed.
This is all of it.We came here to stop this fellow'' (by which he meant me) ``from carrying a slander further.I advise you, good people, to profit by the matter, and to look up a more honest doctor, if doctoring be what you want.''
As soon as he had ended, I remarked solemnly: ``The words of the spirits are not my words.Who shall hold them accountable?''
``Nonsense,'' said the young man.``Come, father''; and they left the room.
Now was the time to retrieve my character.
``Gentlemen,'' said I, ``you have heard this very singular account.Trusting the spirits utterly and entirely as I do, it occurs to me that there is no reason why they may not, after all, have been right in their suspicions of this young person.Who can say that, overcome by remorse, he may not have seized the time of his father's absence to replace the money?''
To my amazement, up gets a little old man from the corner.``Well, you are a low cuss!''
said he, and taking up a basket beside him, hobbled hastily out of the room.You may be sure I said some pretty sharp things to him, for I was out of humor to begin with, and it is one thing to be insulted by a stout young man, and quite another to be abused by a wretched old cripple.However, he went away, and I supposed, for my part, that I was done with the whole business.
An hour later, however, I heard a rough knock at my door, and opening it hastily, saw my red-headed young man with the cripple.
``Now,'' said the former, taking me by the collar, and pulling me into the room among my patients, ``I want to know, my man, if this doctor said that it was likely I was the thief after all?''
``That's what he said,'' replied the cripple;``just about that, sir.''
I do not desire to dwell on the after conduct of this hot-headed young man.It was the more disgraceful as I offered but little resistance, and endured a beating such as Iwould have hesitated to inflict upon a dog.
Nor was this all.He warned me that if I
dared to remain in the city after a week he would shoot me.In the East I should have thought but little of such a threat, but here it was only too likely to be practically carried out.Accordingly, with my usual decision of character, but with much grief and reluctance, I collected my whole fortune, which now amounted to at least seven thousand dollars, and turned my back upon this ungrateful town.I am sorry to say that I also left behind me the last of my good luck.
I traveled in a leisurely way until I reached Boston.The country anywhere would have been safer, but I do not lean to agricultural pursuits.It seemed an agreeable city, and Idecided to remain.
I took good rooms at Parker's, and concluding to enjoy life, amused myself in the company of certain, I may say uncertain, young women who danced at some of the theaters.
I played billiards, drank rather too much, drove fast horses, and at the end of a delightful year was shocked to find myself in debt, and with only seven dollars and fifty-three cents left--I like to be accurate.I had only one resource: I determined to visit my deaf aunt and Peninnah, and to see what I could do in the role of the prodigal nephew.At all events, I should gain time to think of what new enterprise I could take up; but, above all, I needed a little capital and a house over my head.I had pawned nearly everything of any value which I possessed.
I left my debts to gather interest, and went away to Woodbury.It was the day before Christmas when I reached the little Jersey town, and it was also by good luck Sunday.
I was hungry and quite penniless.I wandered about until church had begun, because I was sure then to find Aunt Rachel and Peninnah out at the service, and I desired to explore a little.The house was closed, and even the one servant absent.I got in with ease at the back through the kitchen, and having at least an hour and a half free from interruption, I made a leisurely search.The role of prodigal was well enough, but here was a better chance and an indulgent opportunity.
In a few moments I found the famous Bible hid away under Aunt Rachel's mattress.The Bible bank was fat with notes, but I intended to be moderate enough to escape suspicion.
Here were quite two thousand dollars.I resolved to take, just now, only one hundred, so as to keep a good balance.Then, alas! Ilit on a long envelop, my aunt's will.Every cent was left to Christ Church; not a dime to poor Pen or to me.I was in a rage.I tore up the will and replaced the envelop.To treat poor Pen that way--Pen of all people!
There was a heap more will than testament, for all it was in the Bible.After that Ithought it was right to punish the old witch, and so I took every note I could find.When I was through with this business, I put back the Bible under the mattress, and observing that I had been quite too long, I went down-stairs with a keen desire to leave the town as early as possible.I was tempted, however, to look further, and was rewarded by finding in an old clock case a small reticule stuffed with bank-notes.This I appropriated, and made haste to go out.I was too late.As Iwent into the little entry to get my hat and coat, Aunt Rachel entered, followed by Peninnah.
At sight of me my aunt cried out that I was a monster and fit for the penitentiary.As she could not hear at all, she had the talk to herself, and went by me and up-stairs, rumbling abuse like distant thunder overhead.