david elginbrod-第87章

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much　in　their　own　place　as　any　shaft　or　pinion　of　a　great　machine！

It　was　dusk　before　Hugh　turned　his　steps　homeward。　　He　wandered
along；　thinking　of　Euphra　and　the　Count　and　the　stolen　rings。　　He
greatly　desired　to　clear　himself　to　Mr。　Arnold。　　He　saw　that　the
nature　of　the　ring　tended　to　justify　Mr。　Arnold's　suspicions；　for　a
man　who　would　not　steal　for　money's　worth；　might　yet　steal　for　value
of　another　sort；　addressing　itself　to　some　peculiar　weakness；　and
Mr。　Arnold　might　have　met　with　instances　of　this　nature　in　his
position　as　magistrate。　　He　greatly　desired；　likewise；　for　Euphra's
sake；　to　have　Funkelstein　in　his　power。　　His　own　ring　was　beyond
recovery；　but　if；　by　its　means；　he　could　hold　such　a　lash　over　him
as　would　terrify　him　from　again　exercising　his　villanous　influences
on　her；　he　would　he　satisfied。

While　plunged　in　this　contemplation；　he　came　upon　two　policemen
talking　together。　　He　recognized　one　of　them　as　a　Scotchman；　from
his　speech。　　It　occurred　to　him　at　once　to　ask　his　advice；　in　a
modified　manner；　and　a　moment's　reflection　convinced　him　that　it
would　at　least　do　no　harm。　　He　would　do　it。　　It　was　one　of　those
resolutions　at　which　one　arrives　by　an　arrow　flight　of　the
intellect。

〃You　are　a　countryman　of　mine；　I　think；〃　said　he；　as　soon　as　the　two
had　parted。

〃If　ye're　a　Scotchman；　sirmay　be　ay；　may　be　no。〃

〃Whaur　come　ye　frae；　man？〃

〃Ou；　Aberdeen…awa。〃

〃It's　mine　ain　calf…country。　　An'　what　do　they　ca'　ye？〃

〃They　ca'　me　John　MacPherson。〃

〃My　name's　Sutherland。〃

〃Eh；　man！　　It's　my　ain　mither's　name。　　Gie's　a　grup　o'　yer　han'；
Maister　Sutherlan'。Eh；　man！〃　he　repeated；　shaking　Hugh's　hand　with
vehemence。

〃I　have　no　doubt；〃　said　Hugh；　relapsing　into　English；　〃that　we　are
some　cousins　or　other。　　It's　very　lucky　for　me　to　find　a　relative；
for　I　wanted　someadvice。〃

He　took　care　to　say　advice；　which　a　Scotchman　is　generally　prepared
to　bestow　of　his　best。　　Had　it　been　sixpence；　the　cousinship　would
have　required　elaborate　proof；　before　the　treaty　could　have　made
further　progress。

〃I'm　fully　at　your　service；　sir。〃

〃When　will　you　be　off　duty？〃

〃At　nine　o'clock　preceesely。〃

〃Come　to　No。　13；Square；　and　ask　for　me。　　It's　not　far。〃

〃Wi'　pleesir；　sir；　'gin　'twar　twise　as　far。〃

Hugh　would　not　have　ventured　to　ask　him　to　his　house　on　Sunday
night；　when　no　refreshments　could　be　procured；　had　he　not　remembered
a　small　pig　（Anglic？stone　bottle）　of　real　mountain　dew；　which　he
had　carried　with　him　when　he　went　to　Arnstead；　and　which　had　lain
unopened　in　one　of　his　boxes。

Miss　Talbot　received　her　lodger　with　more　show　of　pleasure　than
usual；　for　he　came　lapped　in　the　odour　of　the　deacon's　sanctity。
But　she　was　considerably　alarmed　and　beyond　measure　shocked　when
the　policeman　called　and　requested　to　see　him。　　Sally　had　rushed　in
to　her　mistress　in　dismay。

〃Please'm；　there's　a　pleaceman　wants　Mr。　Sutherland。　　Oh！　lor'm！〃

〃Well；　go　and　let　Mr。　Sutherland　know；　you　stupid　girl；〃　answered
her　mistress；　trembling。

〃Oh！　lor'm！〃　was　all　Sally's　reply；　as　she　vanished　to　bear　the
awful　tidings　to　Hugh。

〃He　can't　have　been　housebreaking　already；〃　said　Miss　Talbot　to
herself；　as　she　confessed　afterwards。　〃But　it　may　be　forgery　or
embezzlement。　　I　told　the　poor　deluded　young　man　that　the　way　of
transgressors　was　hard。〃

〃Please；　sir；　you're　wanted；　sir；〃　said　Sally；　out　of　breath；　and
pale　as　her　Sunday　apron。

〃Who　wants　me？〃　asked　Hugh。

〃Please；　sir；　the　pleaceman；　sir；〃　answered　Sally；　and　burst　into
tears。

Hugh　was　perfectly　bewildered　by　the　girl's　behaviour；　and　said　in　a
tone　of　surprise：

〃Well；　show　him　up；　then。〃

〃Ooh！　sir；〃　said　Sally；　with　a　Plutonic　sigh；　and　began　to　undo　the
hooks　of　her　dress；　〃if　you　wouldn't　mind；　sir；　just　put　on　my　frock
and　apron；　and　take　a　jug　in　your　hand；　an'　the　pleaceman'll　never
look　at　you。　　I'll　take　care　of　everything　till　you　come　back；　sir。〃
And　again　she　burst　into　tears。

Sally　was　a　great　reader　of　the　Family　Herald；　and　knew　that　this
was　an　orthodox　plan　of　rescuing　a　prisoner。　　The　kindness　of　her
anxiety　moderated　the　expression　of　Hugh's　amusement；　and　having
convinced　her　that　he　was　in　no　danger；　he　easily　prevailed　upon　her
to　bring　the　policeman　upstairs。

Over　a　tumbler　of　toddy；　the　weaker　ingredients　of　which　were
procured　by　Sally's　glad　connivance；　with　a　lingering　idea　of
propitiation；　and　a　gentle　hint　that　Missus　mustn't　knowthe　two
Scotchmen；　seated　at　opposite　corners　of　the　fire；　had　a　long　chat。
They　began　about　the　old　country；　and　the　places　and　people　they
both　knew；　and　both　didn't　know。　　If　they　had　met　on　the　shores　of
the　central　lake　of　Africa；　they　could　scarcely　have　been　more
couthy　together。　　At　length　Hugh　referred　to　the　object　of　his
application　to　MacPherson。

〃What　plan　would　you　have　me　pursue；　John；　to　get　hold　of　a　man　in
London？〃

〃I　could　manage　that　for　ye；　sir。　　I　ken　maist　the　haill　mengie　o'
the　detaictives。〃

〃But　you　see；　unfortunately；　I　don't　wish；　for　particular　reasons；
that　the　police　should　have　anything　to　do　with　it。〃

〃Ay！　ay！　　Hm！　　Hm！　　I　see　brawly。　　Ye'll　be　efter　a　stray　sheep；　nae
doot？〃

Hugh　did　not　reply；　so　leaving　him　to　form　any　conclusion　he
pleased。

〃Ye　see；〃　MacPherson　continued；　〃it's　no　that　easy　to　a　body　that's
no　up　to　the　trade。　　Hae　ye　ony　clue　like；　to　set　ye　spierin'　upo'？〃

〃Not　the　least。〃

The　man　pondered　a　while。

〃I　hae't；〃　he　exclaimed　at　last。　〃What　a　fule　I　was　no　to　think　o'
that　afore！　　Gin't　be　a　puir　bit　yow…lammie　like；　'at　ye're　efter；
I'll　tell　ye　what：　there's　ae　man；　a　countryman　o'　our　ain；　an'　a
gentleman　forbye；　that'll　do　mair　for　ye　in　that　way；　nor　a'　the
detaictives　thegither；　an'　that's　Robert　Falconer；　Esquire。I　ken
him　weel。〃

〃But　I　don't；〃　said　Hugh。

〃But　I'll　introduce　ye　till　'im。　　He　bides　close　at　han'　here；　roun'
twa　corners　jist。　　An'　I'm　thinkin'　he'll　be　at　hame　the　noo；　for　I
saw　him　gaein　that　get；　afore　ye　cam'　up　to　me。　　An'　the　suner　we
gang；　the　better；　for　he's　no　aye　to　be　gotten　hand　o'。　　Fegs！　he
may　be　in　Shoreditch　or　this。〃

〃But　will　he　not　consider　it　an　intrusion？〃

〃Na；　na；　there's　no　fear　o'　that。　　He's　ony　man's　an'　ilka　woman's
freenso　be　he　can　do　them　a　guid　turn；　but　he's　no　for　drinkin'
and　daffin'　an'　that。　　Come　awa'；　Maister　Sutherlan'；　he's　yer　verra
man。〃

Thus　urged；　Hugh　rose　and　accompanied　the　policeman。　　He　took　him
round　rather　more　than　two　corners；　but　within　five　minutes　they
stood　at　Mr。　Falconer's　door。　　John　rang。　　The　door　opened　without
visible　service；　and　they　ascended　to　the　first　floor；　which　was
enclosed　something　after　the　Scotch　fashion。　　Here　a　respectable
looking　woman　awaited　their　ascent。

〃Is　Mr。　Falconer　at　hom'；　mem？〃　said　Hugh's　guide。

〃He　is；　but　I　think　he's　just　going　out　again。〃

〃Will　ye　tell　him；　mem；　'at　hoo　John　MacPherson；　the　policeman；
would　like　sair　to　see　him？〃

〃I　will；〃　she　answered；　and　went　in；　leaving　them　at　the　door。

She　returned　in　a　moment；　and；　inviting　them　to　enter；　ushered　them
into　a　large　bare　room；　in　which　there　was　just　light　enough　for
Hugh　to　recognize；　to　his　astonishment；　the　unmistakeable　figure　of
the　man　whom　he　had　met　in　Whitechapel；　and　whom　he　had　afterwards
seen　apparently　watching　him　from　the　gallery　of　the　Olympic
Theatre。

〃How　are　you；　MacPherson？〃　said　a　deep　powerful　voice；　out　of　the
gloom。

〃Verra　weel；　I　thank　ye；　Mr。　Falconer。　　Hoo　are　ye　yersel'；　sir？〃

〃Very　well　too；　thank　you。　　Who　is　with　you？〃

〃It's　a　gentleman；　sir；　by　the　name　o'　Mr。　Sutherlan'；　wha　wants
your　help；　sir；　aboot　somebody　or　ither　'at　he's　enteresstit　in；
wha's　disappeared。〃

Falconer　advanced；　and；　bowing　to　Hugh　said；　very　graciously：

〃I　shall　be　most　happy　to　serve　Mr。　Sutherland；　if　in　my　power。　　Our
friend　MacPherson　has　rather　too　exalted　an　idea　of　my　capabilities；
however。〃

〃Weel；　Maister　Falconer；　I　only　jist　spier　at　yersel'；　whether　or　no
ye　was　ever　dung　wi'　onything　ye　took　in　han'。〃

Falconer　made　no　reply　to　this。　　There　was　the　story　of　a　whole　life
in　his　silencepast　and　to　come。

He　merely　said：

〃You　can　leave　the　gentleman　with　me；　t