paul the peddler-第24章

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〃I　haven't　got　but　three　cents　change；　mister。〃



〃Never　mind　the　change；〃　said　Mr。　Montgomery；　in　a　fit　of

temporary　generosity；　occasioned　by　his　good　luck。



〃Thank　you；　sir；〃　said　the　newsboy；　regarding　Mr。　Montgomery　as　a

philanthropist　worthy　of　his　veneration。



Felix　Montgomery　leaned　back　in　his　seat；　and；　with　a　benevolent

smile；　ran　his　eyes　over　the　columns　of　the　Express。　　Among　the

paragraphs　which　attracted　his　attention　was　one　relating　to　a

comrade；　of　similar　profession；　who　had　just　been　arrested　in

Albany　while　in　the　act　of　relieving　a　gentleman　of　his

pocketbook。



〃Jerry　always　was　a　bungler；〃　said　Mr。　Montgomery；　complacently；

to　himself。　　〃He　can't　hold　a　candle　to　me。　　I　flatter　myself

that　I　know　how　to　manage　a　little　affair；　like　this；　for

instance；　as　well　as　the　next　man。　　It'll　take　a　sharp　detective

to　lay　hold　of　me。〃



It　might　have　been　thought　that　the　manner　in　which　he　had　gained

possession　of　the　ring　would　have　troubled　Mr。　Montgomery；　but　it

was　many　years　since　he　had　led　an　honest　life。　　He　had　made　a

living　by　overreaching　others；　and　his　conscience　had　become　so

blunted　as　to　occasion　him　little　trouble。　　He　appeared　to　think

that　the　world　owed　him　a　living；　and　that　he　was　quite　justified

in　collecting　the　debt　in　any　way　he　could。



About　twenty　minutes　brought　the　car　to　Amity　street　and　Mr。

Montgomery　signaled　the　conductor；　and；　the　car　being　stopped；　he

got　out。



He　walked　a　few　rods　in　a　westerly　direction；　and　paused　before　a

three…story　brick　house；　which　appeared　to　have　seen　better　days。



It　was　now　used　as　a　boarding；　or　rather　lodging…house。　　The

guests　were　not　of　a　very　high　character；　the　landlady　not　being

particular　as　long　as　her　rent　was　paid　regularly。　　Mr。

Montgomery　ascended　the　steps　in　a　jaunty　way；　and；　opening　the

door　with　a　passkey；　ascended　the　front　staircase。　　He　paused

before　a　room　on　the　third　floor；　and　knocked　in　a　peculiar

manner。



The　door　was　opened　by　a　tall　woman；　in　rather　neglected　attire。



〃So　you're　back；〃　she　said。



〃Yes；　my　dear；　home　again。　　As　the　poet　says；　'There　is　no　place

like　home。'　〃



〃I　should　hope　there　wasn't；〃　said　Mrs。　Montgomery；　looking　about

her　disdainfully。　　〃A　very　delightful　home　it　makes　with　such　a

charming　prospect　of　the　back　yard。　　I've　been　moping　here　all

day。〃



〃You've　found　something　to　console　you；　I　see；〃　said　her　husband；

glancing　at　the　table；　on　which　might　be　seen　a　bottle　of　brandy；

half…emptied；　and　a　glass。



〃Yes；〃　said　Mrs。　Montgomery；　〃I　felt　so　bad　I　had　to　send　out　for

something。　　It　took　every　cent　I　had。　　And；　by　the　way；　Mrs。

Flagg　sent　in　her　bill；　this　morning；　for　the　last　two　weeks'

board；　she　said　she　must　have　it。〃



〃My　dear；〃　said　Mr。　Montgomery；　〃she　shall　have　it。〃



〃You　don't　mean　to　say　you've　got　the　money；　Tony！〃　　exclaimed

his　wife；　in　surprise。



〃No；　I　haven't　got　the　money；　but　I've　got　what's　just　as　good。〃



〃What　have　you　got？〃



〃What　do　you　say　to　this？〃　and　Mr。　Montgomery　drew　from　his

pocket　the　diamond　ring；　whose　loss　was　so　deeply　felt　by　our

hero。



〃Is　that　genuine？〃　asked　the　lady。



〃It's　the　real　thing。〃



〃What　a　beauty！　　Where　did　you　get　it？〃



〃It　was　kindly　presented　me　by　a　young　man　of　the　tender　age　of

fifteen　or　thereabouts；　who　had　no　further　use　for　it。〃



〃You　did　him　out　of　it；　that　is。　　Tell　me　how　you　did　it。〃



Mr。　Montgomery　told　the　story。　　His　wife　listened　with　interest

and　appreciation。



〃That　was　a　smart　operation；　Tony；〃　she　said。



〃I　should　say　it　was；　Maria。〃



〃How　much　is　the　ring　worth？〃



〃Two　hundred　and　fifty　dollars。〃



〃Can　you　get　that　for　it？〃



〃I　can　get　that　for　it。〃



〃Tony；　you　are　a　treasure。〃



〃Have　you　just　found　that　out；　my　dear？〃







CHAPTER　XX



THE　THIEF　IN　DISGUISE



It　will　be　inferred；　from　the　preceding　conversation；　that　Mrs。

Montgomery　was　not　likely　to　be　shocked　by　the　lack　of　honesty　in

her　husband。　　Her　conscience　was　as　elastic　as　his；　and　she　was

perfectly　willing　to　help　him　spend　his　unlawful　gains。



〃How　soon　are　you　going　to　sell　the　ring？〃　she　asked。　　



〃I　should　like　to　dispose　of　it　at　once；　Maria。〃



〃You　will　need　to。　　Mrs。　Flagg　wants　her　bill　paid　at　once。〃



〃I　quite　understand　the　necessity　of　promptness；　my　dear。　　Only；

you　know；　one　has　to　be　cautious　about　disposing　of　articles

obtained　in　this　way。〃



〃You　say　you　left　the　boy　locked　up。　　It　seems　to　me；　you'd

better　sell　the　ring　before　he　has　a　chance　to　get　out　and

interfere。〃



〃I　don't　know　but　you're　right；　my　dear。　　Well；　we'll　get　ready。〃



〃Do　you　want　me　to　go　with　you？〃



〃Yes；　it　will　disarm　suspicion　if　you　are　with　me。　　I　think　I'll

go　as　a　country　parson。〃



〃Country　parsons　are　not　apt　to　have　diamond　rings　to　dispose

of。〃



〃Very　true；　my　dear。　　The　remark　does　credit　to　your　good

judgment　and　penetration。　　But　I　know　how　to　get　over　that。〃



〃As　how？〃



〃Be　a　little　more　particular　about　your　speech；　my　dear。　

Remember；　you　are　a　minister's　wife；　and　must　use　refined

expressions。　　What　is　easier　than　to　say　that　the　ring　was　given

me　by　a　benevolent　lady　of　my　congregation；　to　dispose　of　for　the

benefit　of　the　poor？〃



〃Well　thought　of；　Tony。　　You've　got　a　good　head…piece。〃



〃You're　right；　my　dear。　　I　don't　like　to　indulge　in　self…praise；

but　I　believe　I　know　a　thing　or　two。　　And　now　for　the　masquerade。



Where　are　the　duds？〃



〃In　the　black　trunk。〃



〃Then　we'd　better　lose　no　time　in　putting　them　on。〃



Without　describing　the　process　of　transformation　in　detail；　it

will　be　sufficient　to　say　that　the　next　twenty　minutes　wrought　a

decided　change　in　the　appearance　of　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Felix

Montgomery。　　The　former　was　arrayed　in　a　suit　of　canonical　black；

not　of　the　latest　cut。　　A　white　neckcloth　was　substituted　for　the

more　gaudy　article　worn　by　the　jeweler　from　Syracuse；　and　a　pair

of　silver…bowed　spectacles；　composed　of　plain　glass；　lent　a

scholarly　air　to　his　face。　　His　hair　was　combed　behind　his　ears；

and；　so　far　as　appearance　went；　he　quite　looked　the　character　of

a　clergyman　from　the　rural　districts。



〃How　will　I　do；　my　dear？〃　he　asked；　complacently。



〃Tiptop；〃　answered　the　lady。　　〃How　do　I　look？〃



Mrs。　Montgomery　had　put　on　a　dress　of　sober　tint；　and　scant

circumference；　contrasting　in　a　marked　manner　with　the　mode　then

prevailing。　　A　very　plain　collar　encircled　her　neck。　　Her　hands

were　incased　in　brown　silk　gloves；　while　her　husband　wore　black

kids。　　Her　bonnet　was　exceedingly　plain；　and　her　whole　costume

was　almost　Quaker…like　in　its　simplicity。



Her　husband　surveyed　her　with　satisfaction。



〃My　dear；〃　he　said；　〃you　are　a　fitting　helpmeet　for　the　Rev。　Mr。

Barnes；　of　Hayfield　Centre。　　By　Jove；　you　do　me　credit！〃



〃　'By　Jove'　is　not　a　proper　expression　for　a　man　of　your

profession；　Mr。　Barnes；〃　said　the　new　minister's　wife；　with　a

smile。



〃You　are　right；　my　dear。　　I　must　eschew　profanity；　and　cultivate

a　decorous　style　of　speech。　　Well；　are　we　ready？〃



〃I　am。〃



〃Then　let　us　set　forth　on　our　pilgrimage。　　We　will　imagine；　Mrs。

Barnes；　that　we　are　about　to　make　some　pastoral　calls。〃



They　emerged　into　the　street。　　On　the　way　downstairs　they　met

Mrs。　Flagg；　the　landlady；　who　bowed　respectfully。　　She　was

somewhat　puzzled；　however；　not　knowing　when　they　were　let　in。



〃Good…morning；　madam；〃　said　Mr。　Barnes。　　〃Are　you　the　landlady　of

this　establishment？〃



〃Yes；　sir。〃



〃I　have　been　calling　on　one　of　your　lodgersMr。　Anthony　Blodgett

（this　was　the　name　by　which　Mr。　Felix　Montgomery　was　known　in　the

house）。　　He　is　a　very　worthy　man。〃



Now；　to　tell　the　truth；　Mrs。　Flagg　had　not　been　particularly

struck　by　the　moral　worth　of　her　lodger；　and　this　testimony　led

her　to　entertain　doubts　as　to　the　discernment　of　her　clerical