the queen of hearts-第84章

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the　sun。

How　long　the　inevitable　wine…talk　lasted　on　the　particular　social
occasion　of　which　I　am　now　writing　is　more　than　I　can　undertake
to　say。　I　had　heard　so　many　other　conversations　of　the　same　sort
at　so　many　other　tables　that　my　attention　wandered　away　wearily；
and　I　began　to　forget　all　about　the　dull　little　dinner…party　and
the　badly…assorted　company　of　guests　of　whom　I　formed　one。　How
long　I　remained　in　this　not　over…courteous　condition　of　mental
oblivion　is　more　than　I　can　tell；　but　when　my　attention　was
recalled；　in　due　course　of　time；　to　the　little　world　around　me；　I
found　that　the　good　wine　had　begun　to　do　its　good　office。

The　stream　of　talk　on　either　side　of　the　host's　chair　was　now
beginning　to　flow　cheerfully　and　continuously；　the
wine…conversation　had　worn　itself　out；　and　one　of　the　elder
guestsMr。　Wendellwas　occupied　in　telling　the　other　guestMr。
Trowbridgeof　a　small　fraud　which　had　lately　been　committed　on
him　by　a　clerk　in　his　employment。　The　first　part　of　the　story　I
missed　altogether。　The　last　part；　which　alone　caught　my
attention；　followed　the　career　of　the　clerk　to　the　dock　of　the
Old　Bailey。

〃So；　as　I　was　telling　you；〃　continued　Mr。　Wendell；　〃I　made　up　my
mind　to　prosecute；　and　I　did　prosecute。　Thoughtless　people　blamed
me　for　sending　the　young　man　to　prison；　and　said　I　might　just　as
well　have　forgiven　him；　seeing　that　the　trifling　sum　of　money　I
had　lost　by　his　breach　of　trust　was　barely　as　much　as　ten　pounds。
Of　course；　personally　speaking；　I　would　much　rather　not　have　gone
into　court；　but　I　considered　that　my　duty　to　society　in　general；
and　to　my　brother　merchants　in　particular；　absolutely　compelled
me　to　prosecute　for　the　sake　of　example。　I　acted　on　that
principle；　and　I　don't　regret　that　I　did　so。　The　circumstances
under　which　the　man　robbed　me　were　particularly　disgraceful。　He
was　a　hardened　reprobate；　sir；　if　ever　there　was　one　yet；　and　I
believe；　in　my　conscience；　that　he　wanted　nothing　but　the
opportunity　to　be　as　great　a　villain　as　Fauntleroy　himself。〃

At　the　moment　when　Mr。　Wendell　personified　his　idea　of　consummate
villainy　by　quoting　the　example　of　Fauntleroy；　I　saw　the　other
middle…aged　gentlemanMr。　Trowbridgecolor　up　on　a　sudden；　and
begin　to　fidget　in　his　chair。

〃The　next　time　you　want　to　produce　an　instance　of　a　villain；
sir；〃　said　Mr。　Trowbridge；　〃I　wish　you　could　contrive　to　quote
some　other　example　than　Fauntleroy。〃

Mr。　Wendell　naturally　enough　looked　excessively　astonished　when
he　heard　these　words；　which　were　very　firmly　and；　at　the　same
time；　very　politely　addressed　to　him。

〃May　I　inquire　why　you　object　to　my　example？〃　he　asked。

〃I　object　to　it；　sir；〃　said　Mr。　Trowbridge；　〃because　it　makes　me
very　uncomfortable　to　hear　Fauntleroy　called　a　villain。〃

〃Good　heavens　above！〃　exclaimed　Mr。　Wendell；　utterly　bewildered。
〃Uncomfortable！you；　a　mercantile　man　like　myselfyou；　whose
character　stands　so　high　everywhereyou　uncomfortable　when　you
hear　a　man　who　was　hanged　for　forgery　called　a　villain！　In　the
name　of　wonder；　why？〃

〃Because；〃　answered　Mr。　Trowbridge；　with　perfect　composure；
〃Fauntleroy　was　a　friend　of　mine。〃

〃Excuse　me；　my　dear　sir；〃　retorted　Mr。　Wendell；　in　as　polished　a
tone　of　sarcasm　as　he　could　command；　〃but　of　all　the　friends　whom
you　have　made　in　the　course　of　your　useful　and　honorable　career；
I　should　have　thought　the　friend　you　have　just　mentioned　would
have　been　the　very　last　to　whom　you　were　likely　to　refer　in
respectable　society；　at　least　by　name。〃

〃Fauntleroy　committed　an　unpardonable　crime；　and　died　a
disgraceful　death；〃　said　Mr。　Trowbridge。　〃But；　for　all　that；
Fauntleroy　was　a　friend　of　mine；　and　in　that　character　I　shall
always　acknowledge　him　boldly　to　my　dying　day。　I　have　a
tenderness　for　his　memory；　though　he　violated　a　sacred　trust；　and
die　d　for　it　on　the　gallows。　Don't　look　shocked；　Mr。　Wendell。　I
will　tell　you；　and　our　other　friends　here；　if　they　will　let　me；
why　I　feel　that　tenderness；　which　looks　so　strange　and　so
discreditable　in　your　eyes。　It　is　rather　a　curious　anecdote；　sir；
and　has　an　interest；　I　think；　for　all　observers　of　human　nature
quite　apart　from　its　connection　with　the　unhappy　man　of　whom　we
have　been　talking。　You　young　gentlemen；〃　continued　Mr。
Trowbridge；　addressing　himself　to　us　juniors；　〃have　heard　of
Fauntleroy；　though　he　sinned　and　suffered；　and　shocked　all
England　long　before　your　time？〃

We　answered　that　we　had　certainly　heard　of　him　as　one　of　the
famous　criminals　of　his　day。　We　knew　that　he　had　been　a　partner
in　a　great　London　banking…house；　that　he　had　not　led　a　very
virtuous　life；　that　he　had　possessed　himself；　by　forgery；　of
trust…moneys　which　he　was　doubly　bound　to　respect；　and　that　he
had　been　hanged　for　his　offense；　in　the　year　eighteen　hundred　and
twenty…four；　when　the　gallows　was　still　set　up　for　other　crimes
than　murder；　and　when　Jack　Ketch　was　in　fashion　as　one　of　the
hard…working　reformers　of　the　age。

〃Very　good；〃　said　Mr。　Trowbridge。　〃You　both　of　you　know　quite
enough　of　Fauntleroy　to　be　interested　in　what　I　am　going　to　tell
you。　When　the　bottles　have　been　round　the　table；　I　will　start
with　my　story。〃

The　bottles　went　roundclaret　for　the　degenerate　youngsters；
port　for　the　sterling；　steady…headed；　middle…aged　gentlemen。　Mr。
Trowbridge　sipped　his　winemeditated　a　littlesipped　againand
started　with　the　promised　anecdote　in　these　terms：

CHAPTER　II。

WHAT　I　am　going　to　tell　you；　gentlemen；　happened　when　I　was　a
very　young　man；　and　when　I　was　just　setting　up　in　business　on　my
own　account。

My　father　had　been　well　acquainted　for　many　years　with　Mr。
Fauntleroy；　of　the　famous　London　banking　firm　of　Marsh；　Stracey；
Fauntleroy　&　Graham。　Thinking　it　might　be　of　some　future　service
to　me　to　make　my　position　known　to　a　great　man　in　the　commercial
world；　my　father　mentioned　to　his　highly…respected　friend　that　I
was　about　to　start　in　business　for　myself　in　a　very　small　way；
and　with　very　little　money。　Mr。　Fauntleroy　received　the
intimation　with　a　kind　appearance　of　interest；　and　said　that　he
would　have　his　eye　on　me。　I　expected　from　this　that　he　would　wait
to　see　if　I　could　keep　on　my　legs　at　starting；　and　that；　if　he
found　I　succeeded　pretty　well；　he　would　then　help　me　forward　if
it　lay　in　his　power。　As　events　turned　out；　he　proved　to　be　a　far
better　friend　than　that；　and　he　soon　showed　me　that　I　had　very
much　underrated　the　hearty　and　generous　interest　which　he　had
felt　in　my　welfare　from　the　first。

While　I　was　still　fighting　with　the　difficulties　of　setting　up　my
office；　and　recommending　myself　to　my　connection；　and　so　forth；　I
got　a　message　from　Mr。　Fauntleroy　telling　me　to　call　on　him；　at
the　banking…house；　the　first　time　I　was　passing　that　way。　As　you
may　easily　imagine；　I　contrived　to　be　passing　that　way　on　a
particularly　early　occasion；　and；　on　presenting　myself　at　the
bank；　I　was　shown　at　once　into　Mr。　Fauntleroy's　private　room。

He　was　as　pleasant　a　man　to　speak　to　as　ever　I　met　withbright；
and　gay；　and　companionable　in　his　mannerwith　a　sort　of　easy；
hearty；　jovial　bluntness　about　him　that　attracted　everybody。　The
clerks　all　liked　himand　that　is　something　to　say　of　a　partner
in　a　banking…house；　I　can　tell　you！

〃Well；　young　Trowbridge；〃　says　he；　giving　his　papers　on　the　table
a　brisk　push　away　from　him；　〃so　you　are　going　to　set　up　in
business　for　yourself；　are　you？　I　have　a　great　regard　for　your
father；　and　a　great　wish　to　see　you　succeed。　Have　you　started
yet？　No？　Just　on　the　point　of　beginning；　eh？　Very　good。　You　will
have　your　difficulties；　my　friend；　and　I　mean　to　smooth　one　of
them　away　for　you　at　the　outset。　A　word　of　advice　for　your
private　earBank　with　us。〃

〃You　are　very　kind；　sir；〃　I　answered；　〃and　I　should　ask　nothing
better　than　to　profit　by　your　suggestion；　if　I　could。　But　my
expenses　are　heavy　at　starting；　and　when　they　are　all　paid　I　am
afraid　I　shall　have　very　little　left　to　put　by　for　the　first
year。　I　doubt　if　I　shall　be　able　to　muster　much　more　than　three
hundred　pounds　of　surplus　cash　in　the　world　after　paying　what　I
must　pay　before　I　set　up　my　office；　and　I　should　be　ashamed　to
trouble　your　house；　sir；　to　open　an　account　for　such　a　trifle　as