paul the peddler-第26章

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the　ring。　　〃Can　I　get　anything　for　the　lady？〃



〃No；　thank　you。　　The　best　thing　to　do　is　to　get　her　into　the　open

air。　　Thank　you　for　your　kindness。〃



〃Let　me　help　you；〃　said　the　clerk；　and　coming　from　behind　the

counter　he　took　one　arm　of　Mrs。　Montgomery；　who；　leaning　heavily

on　her　husband　and　the　clerk；　walked；　or　rather　was　carried；　to

the　street　door。



Of　course；　the　attention　of　all　within　the　store　was　drawn　to　the

party。



〃What　was　the　matter？〃　inquired　a　fellow…clerk；　as　the　salesman

returned。



〃It　was　a　clergyman　from　Connecticut；　who　wished　to　sell　a

diamond　ring；　given　to　him　for　charitable　purposes。　　His　wife　was

taken　suddenly　sick。　　He　will　bring　it　back　to…morrow。〃



〃Was　the　ring　a　valuable　one？〃



〃It　must　be　worth　in　the　neighborhood　of　three　hundred　dollars。〃



Paul　listened　to　this　explanation；　and　a　sudden　light　flashed

upon　him；　as　he　heard　the　estimated　value　of　the　ring。　　There　had

been　something　familiar　in　the　appearance　of　the　adventurer；

though；　on　account　of　his　successful　disguise　and　his　being

accompanied　by　a　lady；　he　had　not　before　felt　any　suspicion　as　to

his　identity　with　the　man　who　had　swindled　him。　　Now　he　felt

convinced　that　it　was　Mr。　Felix　Montgomery；　and　that　it　was　his

own　appearance　which　had　led　to　the　sudden　sickness　and　the

precipitate　departure。



〃That　trick　won't　work；　Mr。　Montgomery；〃　he　said　to　himself。　

〃I've　got　on　your　track　sooner　than　I　anticipated；　and　I　mean　to

follow　you　up。〃



Reaching　the　sidewalk；　he　caught　sight　of　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Montgomery

just　turning　the　corner　of　a　side　street。　　The　pair　supposed　they

were　safe；　not　thinking　that　our　hero　had　recognized　them；　and

the　lady　no　longer　exhibited　illness；　and　was　walking　briskly　at

her　husband's　side。　　Paul　hurried　up　and　tapped　the　adventurer　on

the　shoulder。　　Mr。　Montgomery；　turning；　was　annoyed　on　finding

that　he　had　not　yet　escaped。　　He　determined；　however；　to　stick　to

his　false　character；　and　deny　all　knowledge　of　the　morning's

transaction。



〃Well；　my　young　friend；〃　he　said；　〃do　you　want　me？　　I　believe　I

have　not　the　pleasure　of　your　acquaintance。〃



〃You　are　mistaken　there；　Mr。　Felix　Montgomery；〃　said　Paul；

significantly。



〃By　what　name　did　you　address　me？〃　said　the　swindler；　assuming　a

tone　of　surprise。



〃I　addressed　you　as　Mr。　Felix　Montgomery。〃



〃You　have　made　a　mistake；　my　good　friend。　　I　am　an　humble

clergyman　from　Connecticut。　　I　am　called　the　Rev。　Mr。　Barnes。　

Should　you　ever　visit　Hayfield　Centre；　I　shall　be　glad　to　receive

a　call　from　you。〃



〃When　I　last　met　you；　you　were　a　jeweler　from　Syracuse；〃　said

Paul；　bluntly。



Mr。　Montgomery　laughed　heartily。



〃My　dear；〃　he　said；　turning　to　his　wife；　〃is　not　this　an

excellent　joke？　　My　young　friend　here　thinks　he　recognizes　in　me

a　jeweler　from　Syracuse。〃



〃Indeed；　you　are　quite　mistaken；〃　said　the　lady。　　〃My　husband　is

a　country　minister。　　We　came　up　to　the　city　this　morning　on　a

little　business。〃



〃I　understand　on　what　business；〃　said　Paul。　　〃You　wanted　to

dispose　of　a　diamond　ring。〃



Mr。　Montgomery　was　disposed　to　deny　the　charge；　but　a　moment's

reflection　convinced　him　that　it　would　be　useless；　as　Paul　had

doubtless　been　informed　in　Ball　&　Black's　of　his　business　there。　

He　decided　to　put　on　a　bold　front　and　admit　it。



〃I　suppose　you　were　in　Ball　&　Black's　just　now；〃　he　said。



〃I　was。〃



〃And　so　learned　my　business　there？　　But　I　am　at　a　loss　to

understand　why　you　should　be　interested　in　the　matter。〃



〃That　ring　is　mine；〃　said　Paul。　　〃You　swindled　me　out　of　it　this

morning。〃



〃My　young　friend；　you　must　certainly　be　insane；〃　said　Mr。

Montgomery；　shrugging　his　shoulders。　　〃My　dear；　did　you　hear

that？〃



〃He　is　an　impudent　boy；〃　said　the　lady。　　〃I　am　surprised　that　you

should　be　willing　to　talk　to　him。〃



〃If　you　leave　here　I　will　put　a　policeman　on　your　track；〃　said

Paul。



He　looked　so　determined　that　Mr。　Montgomery　found　that　he　must

parley。



〃You　are　under　a　strange　hallucination；　my　young　friend；〃　he

said。　　〃If　you　will　walk　along　with　me；　I　think　I　can　convince

you　of　your　mistake。〃



〃There　is　no　mistake　about　the　matter；〃　said　Paul；　walking　on

with　them。　　〃The　ring　is　mine；　and　I　must　have　it。〃



〃My　dear；　will　you　explain　about　the　ring？　　He　may　credit　your

testimony。〃



〃I　don't　see　that　any　explanation　is　necessary；〃　said　the　lady。　

〃However；　since　you　wish　it；　I　will　say　that　the　ring　was　handed

you　by　Mrs。　Benton；　a　wealthy　lady　of　your　parish；　with

instructions　to　sell　it；　and　devote　the　proceeds　to　charitable

purposes。〃



〃Is　that　explanation　satisfactory？〃　asked　Mr。　Montgomery。



〃No；　it　is　not；〃　said　Paul；　resolutely。　　〃I　don't　believe　one

word　of　it。　　I　recognize　you　in　spite　of　your　dress。　　You　gave　me

chloroform　this　morning　in　a　room　in　Lovejoy's　Hotel；　and　when　I

was　unconscious　you　made　off　with　the　ring　which　I　expected　to

sell　you。　　You　had　better　return　it；　or　I　will　call　a　policeman。〃



〃I　am　not　the　person　you　take　me　for；〃　said　Felix　Montgomery。



〃You　are　the　jeweler　from　Syracuse　who　swindled　me　out　of　my

ring。〃



〃I　never　was　a　jeweler；　and　never　lived　in　Syracuse；〃　said　the

adventurer；　with　entire　truth。



〃You　may　be　right；　but　that　is　what　you　told　me　this　morning。〃



〃I　wish　you　would　go　away；　and　cease　to　annoy　us；〃　said　the　lady；

impatiently。



〃I　want　my　ring。〃



〃We　have　no　ring　of　yours。〃



〃Show　me　the　ring；　and　if　it　is　not　mine　I　will　go　away。〃



〃You　are　a　very　impudent　fellow；　upon　my　word；〃　said　Mrs。

Montgomery；　sharply；　〃to　accuse　a　gentleman　like　my　husband　of

taking　your　ring。　　I　don't　believe　you　ever　had　one。〃



〃My　dear；〃　interposed　her　husband；　mildly；　〃I　dare　say　my　young

friend　here　really　thinks　we　have　his　ring。　　Of　course　it　is　a

great　mistake。　　Imagine　what　our　friends　in　Hayfield　Centre　would

think　of　such　a　charge！　　But　you　must　remember　that　he　is

unacquainted　with　my　standing　in　the　community。　　In　order　to

satisfy　his　mind；　I　am　willing　to　let　him　see　the　ring。〃



〃To　let　him　see　the　ring？〃　repeated　the　lady；　in　surprise。



〃Yes。　　Here；　my　lad；〃　taking　the　ring　from　his　pocket；　〃this　is

the　ring。　　You　will　see　at　once　that　it　is　not　yours。〃



〃I　see　that　it　is　mine；〃　said　Paul；　taking　the　proffered　ring；

and　preparing　to　go；　astonished　at　his　own　good　fortune　in　so

easily　recovering　it。



〃Not　so　fast！〃　　exclaimed　Mr。　Montgomery；　seizing　him　by　the

shoulder。　　〃Help！　　Police！〃



An　officer　had　turned　the　corner　just　before；　and　it　was　this

that　had　suggested　the　trap。　　He　came　up　quickly；　and；　looking

keenly　from　one　to　the　other；　inquired　what　was　the　matter。



〃This　boy　has　just　purloined　a　ring　from　my　wife；〃　said　Mr。

Montgomery。　　〃Fortunately　I　caught　him　in　the　act。〃



〃Give　up　the　ring；　you　young　scoundrel！〃　　said　the　officer；

imposed　upon　by　the　clerical　appearance　of　the　adventurer。



〃It　is　mine；〃　said　Paul。



〃None　of　your　gammon！　　Give　up　the　ring；　and　come　with　me。〃



The　ring　was　restored　to　Mr。　Montgomery；　who　overwhelmed　the

officer　with　a　profusion　of　thanks。



〃It　is　not　a　diamond；　only　an　imitation；〃　he　said；　〃but　my　wife

values　it　as　the　gift　of　a　friend。　　Don't　be　too　hard　on　the　boy。



He　may　not　be　so　bad　as　he　seems。〃



〃I'll　attend　to　him；〃　said　the　policeman；　emphatically。　　〃I'll

learn　him　to　rob　ladies　of　rings　in　the　street。　　Come　along；

sir！〃



Paul　tried　to　explain　matters；　but　no　attention　was　paid　to　his

protestations。　　To　his　anger　and　mortification　he　saw　the

swindler　make　off　triumphantly　with　the　ring；　while　he；　the

wronged　owner；　was　arrested　as　a　thief。



But　at　the　station…house　he　had　his　revenge。　　He　was　able　to

prove　to　his　captor　that　he　had　lodged　information　against　Mr。

Montgomery；　and　the　policeman　in　turn　was　mortified　to　think　how

readily　he　had　been　imposed　upon。　　Of　course　Paul　was　se