FIEL'S DELICATE CASE.

Waikato Times, Volume II, Issue 104, 31 December 1872, Page 2

FIEL'S DELICATE CASE.

fConcluded.J ' Exactly.' 'And don't you think.that; if ho w iuto the society of an innocent, accomplished am girl, his infatuation for this girl would sooner be gv ' Well, well; send for Sarah if you like ; Bhe wi leaving anyhow at the end of the quarter. Only, do Uer up to* thinking this youngster a'very great eat. his father may liavo"other children and older ones, for . T know. • Or ho may spend all his money in building ] das, or acquariums, or black-beetle museums ; or in lit out expeditions to discover the South Polo, which ought to have a turn, alter all the iuss made üboi. North. lam not by auy means sure that it is a good t Martha.' As Mr Fiel uttered these last words,'he looked watch, and then took a cigar out of his case ; wher Mrs Fiel brushed his hat, and brought it to him, tog< with a light. Something like a wife ! And ere a man c, cry : 1 Conductor, hold!' the City Atlas had devoured lnm up. It is one thing for a soiling ship to bo telegraphed, and another for it to arrive in port'. A heavy gale tantalised tho » ere >v and passengers of the ship Chipcliow, and it was a week \ oefo'-c Mr Fiel and his client's son met, by which time the » accomplished Sarah was safely established under tlio paternal . roof; for lifer mother thought that the lawyer exaggerated the chances against the young man's inheriting a good fortune, and stuck to her little intrigue. It is certain that she herself over-estimated her daughter's attractions. Sarah was a ir ood girl enough, but commonplace, and not beautiful; a pellet hardly calculated to drive out another very firmly fixed in the pop-gun heart of a lover. However, the designing mother and unwitting daughter had a fair chance, for young Lobyear accepted the oiler of hospitality made him by Mr Fiel, and established himself m their house until he could look about him ; and his face and hands were so dark, that; Mrs Fiel was induced to makp inquiries about the nationality of his mother; but as her husband had never known anything about Mr Lobyear bofore he put his affairs in his'hands, on going out to the Jiast, and was even ignorant, until quite lately, ot the existence of this son, she could not get much sat sfactory information out of him. So she concluded that Mr Lobyear senior s oriental tastes were not confined to the fauna and flora; and tao deep blackness of the young man's hair, eyebrows, and long, drooping, silky moustachc certainly tended confirm her theorv. His manners were aot very good, llierc was an _ evident restraint about him ; and if in an unguarded moment lie gave nature her head, lie became boisterous and vulgar. He was very careful, however, and only broke out. once or twice, recovering himself almost immediately. He seemed to find that the safest plan was to spoon Sarah, and devote himself to her so assiduously the first evening, that. Mi l 1 iu listened to his wife's statement ol pros and cons with seriousness that night. , ' I have no doubt his father means well by him at present, -* said he, 'or he would hardly shew so much anxiety about his contracting an unfavourable marriage, as to give mfo ' almost carte llanche in the cost of preventing it. Aeithci | would he name so haudsome a sum as sixty pounds a month for expenses, if he intended to leave him penniless at his • death. But this is all conjecture.' ' ' But; rather Btrong, surely, dear ; and ho is certainly smitten with Sarah, said Mrs Fiel. ' Don't you be too sure of that. Very likely lie carries on witli everything in a petticoat, or out of one, in those Borneo parts, that he meets; or it may be that he is throwing dust in my eyes, to cover his intrigue with his old Gal- | cutta friend.' ' Mr Fiel felt it to be so important to prevent the young man giving him the slip, that lie left, his other business to the clerks, and took upon him the office of showman, whereby he made acquaintance with many London sights that ho had never seen before —the interior of St Paul's, to wit; the top of the Monument; Madame Tussaud's waxworks; and ' certain bewildering circular pictures, apparently seen from j tie inside, as if one were a figure represented, called pano- | ramas—all of which very much interested the young man, | who nevertheless owned that, on tho whole, he preferred i Calcutta. Mention of that city gave the lawyer an opening; I he inqu'rel if thero were much society there —pleasant so-

c'ety P And eventually Mv Lobyear, the son, who of course coulcl not be expected to know his father's discovery and communication to his lawyer, took his cicerone into confidence. lie adored the most charming, innocent, persecuted sa nt that ever excited the jealousy of a spiteful coterie. Her mme was Montacute, and she was a widow without, cncuinIji'i'iinces. She had been residing in a quiet part oi the Isle of Wight., but was now on her way to London ; and he had received a letter that very looming directing him where to; find her ; so he would not trespass on Mr Fiel's hospitality after that day. Whereabouts was Duke-street, Jennynstreefc ? The complacent Mr Fiel conducted him to that neighbourhood, and also, in reply to further questions, gave him an outline of the steps it Was necessary to take beforo a gentleman and lady, inclined that wav, could be joined together in lioly matrimony. There could be no harm done in alfording him such scraps of information ; the first cabman passing would have driven him to the address, and the charming widow probably had license and banns formalities at her fingers' ends. ' Of course, you are of age ?' he threw in at the end. ' I believe my father would say I was some months short of it,' replied the young man carelessly : but really his evidence is so little to be trusted in any matter not connected with plants or insects, that I mean to give myself the benefit of the doubt. That's good law, eh ? Mr Fiel proposed a bachelor's dinner at his club that day, ' and entertained his guest all the evening with caustic observations upon widows, and the dangers to which young men were exposed from beautiful sirens', wlio-e antaecdeuts would not bear strict examination, illustrated with numerous apposite anecdotes, which the young man seemed to enjoy heartily. But he would riot apply them to his own case ;so that, at last, the lawyer was forced to be more explicit, and with much apology asked whether the young man knew who the late Mr Montaeute was, and under what circumstances the fair widow came to be alone and unprotected in Calcutta ? But the ardent lover would hot listen to a hint reflecting upon the object of his affections, and got so excited and anjry, .that Mr Fiel dropped the subject at once. Where was the use of talking sense to a man that declared that if all the world swore to anything which his mistress denied, he sboald take her word in preference to the united oath ? To expose his game by shewing the paternal letter empowering him to forbid the marriage, would have been stupid indeed at present; that must be kept as the last resource, when, combined with considerations of probable disinheri- | tance, it might have an effect. What effect ? the lawyer asked himself unflinchingly, when quiet that w*ght. Probably that of making young Lobyear dissemble for the time, > and marry his widow elsewhere, unknown to the lawyer. And if the agent were deceived, the bridegroom might well hope to conceal tie 'matter from his butterfly-hunting father ; at all events, for ati he. Young people, especially when in love, never look far forward, but have a confidence in things turning up. Mr Fiel owned with inward chagrin that he was at fault. Suddenly an idea flashed upon him like an inspiration. Why not attack the woman ? he had her addresss. ' Of course,' be said aloud, turning his head on the pillow. 4 What, my dear ? ' responded Mm Fiel. ' Nothing.' And he went to sleep. Next morning, young Lobyear left Mr Fiel's house, and wont to an hotel in Jermyn street. t Mr Fiel possessed a very sharp office-boy, for in spite of the trick which had been played him by Torn Scott, he liked sharp boys ; only he never meant to give another the chunce of abusing his confidence. Billy Daw was employed in minor matters alone : his master had no inteniftn of pushing him. This lad had- already seen young Lobyear ; the house in Duke street was now pointed out toliinr, and he was directed to walch it, and let his master know when Mr Lobyear left it. So Mr Fiel waited in his club, which was dose by, and Billy Daw loaled witiun sight of Duke street. Billy was good at loafing ; he gleaned amusement and instruction from the window of a newspaper and caricature shop; studied natural history at a fishmonger's; set two boys to fight; exasperated a drunken man; procured ' cuts behind' for youngsters who were riding without paying their fare—all without losing sight of the door he was directed to watch. His report at the end of the day was, that Mr Lobyear had left his hotel, and gone to the house in Duke street at eleven a.m. At half-past one a servant girl had oome out with an > empty dish, and returned in ten minutes with oysters. At six o'clock, Mr Lobyear had at last cdme out, accompanied by a lady, and they walked together arm in arm to St James's Hall.

' Never mind,' said Mr Fiel; ' lie can't stick so close as that to her for long, however desperate his condition may be. Try again to-morrow.' True enough, at twelve o'clock 011 the following day, Billy Daw summoned his master from the club, and informed him that Lobyear had gone out for some time, and the lady was alone. Asked how he knew that hia absence was not for a few minutes only, he replied that the gentleman had lit up his baccy directly he got outside the door. Mr Fiel wasted no more time in questioning, but hastened to the house in Duke street, knocked and rang, and inquired for Mrs Montectfte. Yes, the servant-girl said, she lodged there, and was at home. What name ? And the lawyer was ushered into the front drawing-room. A lady with a creamy complexion and golden hair, elegantly drelsed in half-mourning, closed' the novel she had bean reading, and rose from her lounging-chair to receive him. Pretty, thought the visitor, decidedly prettybut at least ten years Older than he is. , 'You do not know me, madam, or the object of my visit, he said ; ' so I hid better tell yon at once that my name is Fiel, arid that 1 1 am the legil adviser of Mr Lobyear, the father of the gentleman who aspires, I believe, to the honour of your hand.' - Mrs Montecute bowed, and requested him to be seated. 'I hope you will pardon me,' continued Mr Fiel,dropping .nto a chair which faced the lady, and looking as conciliatory

ai ho could,' if what I have to say should prove in any way disagreeable ; lam but the mouthpiece of my client, you know. Mr Lobyear, senior, has heard, not from his son, but through other sources, of his projected marriage, and I regret to say that lie lias conveyed to me his disapproval.' 1 O, sir!' ' His very decided disapproval. He has never had the honour and pleasure of seeing you, madam, or ho would probably view (lie-matter in.a different light, and hesitate before depriving his only child of tho felicity so nearly secured to him. But, unfortunately, his letter was forwarded to me from Hong-kong, and lie was then about to return to Japan, so that thoro are difficulties in the way of a personal interview.' ' Really, Mr—Mr Fiel,' said the widow, glancing at the card which had been given her, ' I hardly know wh-it to make of all this. I was certainly aware that Mr Lobyear had a father very much devoted to yarious br inches of natural history, who, if alive, was supposed to be somewhere in Japan ; but that ho takes any notice of his son's affairs, or professes to exercise any authority over him, is quite a new idea to me.' 'To me also, madam; and I believe it to be a very unusual proceeding on his part. But marriage is an exceptionally important tiling, and as his son is under age' ' Under age! Thomas under age! Impossible!' cried tho widow. 1 It is a fncL, madam ; but were it otherwise, it would be of no imnorlance, since Mr Lobvcar is entirely dependent upon his father, who is determined to discontinue his idlowanei:, mid to cut him out of his will, if he marries without his consent and approval.' Mrs M out acute remained in pensive contemplation of a very pretty little foot for some little time before she replied : ' Excuse me for being over cautious, Mr Fiel ; but you are an utter slrangor, you know, and I should like to see the letter from Air Lobycar's father, if you have it about, you. 'Certainly, madam,' replied the lawyer. ' Avery natural and proper precaution on you part. I might be a rival, prompted by motives of jealousy. Here is the latter, which, however, I fear may givo you pain. Evil tongues, he continued, as tho widow took the document and ran her eyes I rapidly over it —'evil tongues have evidently traduced you. Alas! the best and fairest cannot escape slander! Indeed, the greater the merit, the more virulent the envy.' ' Evidently genuine. Thank you,' said the widow, returning the letter with extraordinary composure, considering how she was treated in it, and then once more fixing her gaze upon her hoof, which she fidgeted about, alio relapsed into silence and meditation. At length she raised her eyes slowly to tin; lawyer's, and looking at him quietly but very fixedly, she said : 'Mr Fiel, you have come to me treating t his affair as a pure matter of business, and therefore, I will not speak to you of my affections ; it would prolong this interview ; ami probably you would not understand me. I will speak of the marriage engagement between myself and Mr Thomas Lobyear, then, precisely as if it were a mere commercial transaction. In order to fulfil my part, I have left. India, where I had a home, and have come to England to live on my meagre pension. For all his threats, I consider it very unlikely that Mr Lobyear will really disinherit his only child.' , 'Pardon my interrupting you, madam; nothing is more probable. The ardour with which he pursues his favourite science amounts to mania, and I tear that he would be hardly sorry for an excuse to devote his entire fortune to the building and foundation of a museum.' ' There is a certain force in what you say,' replied the widow calmly; 1 and Ido not conceal from myself that it would be a very great misfortune indeed for both of us if Mr Thomas Lobyear were to be deprived of his income upon our marriage. Still, it would be worse for me to break it oir, and remain here, tar from my friends, penniless.' 1 Nay, madam, not penniless ; some compensation would be your due.' Luqete I'riirrf.i Cupid hi en que —if they didn t come presently to fair up-and-down bargaining! The matter was finally settled thus. Mrs Montacute was to start for New York by the next, mail, Mr Kiel taking and paying for her passage ; she was to write a farewell letter to young Lobyear, breaking the malch, and keeping silence about where she was "oing to. Mr Fiel was to accompany her on board tho ship, and then to place in her hands the sum of one thousand pounds. When this treaty, with. ' No Trusty ! ' for its basis, was concluded, Mr Fiel t,o<-k his leave j and as he stepped into the street, Jack Horner al >ne could appreciate his sensations. Never had so delicate a case been so skilfully handled. Three days afterwards, Mr Fiel escortvd the fair widow to Liverpool ; accompanied her on board the American steamer ; staid with her lo the last moment, gave her the thousand pounds, and returned to the bosom ot his family, haying himself scaled and posted a most satisfactory letter of taicwcll to poor young Lobyear, which was put in his hands unfastened, that, he might assuro himself that the contents were according to treaty. Next, day, the deserted lover came to him in a furystorming, upbraiding, beseeching him to tell him where his charmer had llown to ; threatening murder and suicide when the lawyer remained obdurate. Finally, he rushed away, declaring he would never speak to him again. ' Yes, you will, wlvm you want money,' said Mr Fiel, and the other banged the door behind bin - .. He was right. In less than a fortnight young Lobyear returned, pale, calm and haughty, and coldly intimated that he was about to return to the' East, and required funds. After some discussion about necessary expenses, passageinon 'V, out tit, what his father usually allowed him, &c., Mr Fiel let him have live hundred pounds, and saw him depart with infinite relief—for now the edifice of his diplomacy was crowned. Commissioned to separate a young couple, he had despatched one to the cast, the other to the west. W iat success could be more complete ? lie toad always estimated his own aeuteness very highly, but now he felt as if lie should ' strike the stars with his sublime tin,' as a schoolboy friend of ours once translated a familiar line of Horace. This state of self-satisfaction lasted some months, during which he lo iked forward to the letter of t hanks and admiring approval which he expected from Mr Lobyeir the father. It came a mail sooner than he expectcd. One morning, on entering his office, he found two foreign letters awaiting him —one from an unknown correspondent, the other m the familiar handwriting of his client in Japan. He opened this latter eagerly, and prepared for praise. Peak Sir —I can't make out the meaning of nil this rigmarole vou have written to me about a son and a marriage. I had a son once, a lieutenant in the —th, but the noor boy fell a victim to the climate of China ten years ago. You refer to a letter of mine, dated from Hong-kong, and it is true that I was there about the time you mention, but certainly I never wrote to you during my stay. If yon are in your senses, vou have been grossly imposed upon by some rogue or another. I wish you would have the goodness to call upon Punum of the British Museum, and tell him ; Ac. The rest all about bugs and beetles. Mr Fiel staggered to his desk, took out the letter he had last received, and compared it with this present, one: the imitation of the handwriting was cunningly executed, but a palpable forgery. Had he entertained the ghost of a suspicion at the time, he could not have mistaken it. U. was a good hour before he partially recovered from the effects of this blow, and then, in a bewildered, mechanical ■way, he opened the second foreign letter. It was dated from New York, and ran thus: Sib —When I was a clerk in your office, vou tried to get too much out of me, but I managed to turn the tables, and pay myself for time and trouble expended on your behalf that was one to me. You caurht me, an I got me two vears —that- vra* one to vou. With the aid of tny clover little wife, I have drawn about fifteen hundred and eighty pounds out of you, winning two events out of three. Never mind : it was improbable that I, who rdone knew the details of your business relations with Mr Lnbyear, should have chanced upon that gentleman in Hong-kong, and procured a specimen of his handwriting ; and in the walnut-stained young man, with jet-black hair and moustache, you could hardly be expected to recognise the fair, smooth-faced, red-headed Tom Scott. —P.S. Lore to Sarah. I regret that we could not square matters by a matrimonial alliance, but bigamy is not one of mv little games —'it present. . Mr Fiel threw the letter on the ground, ponnded it with his hand, buried his face in his hands, and in a tone of agony which might have melted the heart of his bitterest enemy, exclaimed: ' Done!'