登陆注册
5164800000121

第121章

Besides becoming in a short time a perfect marvel in all stable matters, Kit soon made himself a very tolerable gardener, a handy fellow within doors, and an indispensable attendant on Mr Abel, who every day gave him some new proof of his confidence and approbation.Mr Witherden the notary, too, regarded him with a friendly eye; and even Mr Chuckster would sometimes condescend to give him a slight nod, or to honour him with that peculiar form of recognition which is called 'taking a sight,' or to favour him with some other salute combining pleasantry with patronage.

One morning Kit drove Mr Abel to the Notary's office, as he sometimes did, and having set him down at the house, was about to drive off to a livery stable hard by, when this same Mr Chuckster emerged from the office door, and cried 'Woa-a-a-a-a-a!'--dwelling upon the note a long time, for the purpose of striking terror into the pony's heart, and asserting the supremacy of man over the inferior animals.

'Pull up, Snobby,' cried Mr Chuckster, addressing himself to Kit.

'You're wanted inside here.'

'Has Mr Abel forgotten anything, I wonder?' said Kit as he dismounted.

'Ask no questions, Snobby,' returned Mr Chuckster, 'but go and see.

Woa-a-a then, will you? If that pony was mine, I'd break him.'

'You must be very gentle with him, if you please,' said Kit, 'or you'll find him troublesome.You'd better not keep on pulling his ears, please.I know he won't like it.'

To this remonstrance Mr Chuckster deigned no other answer, than addressing Kit with a lofty and distant air as 'young feller,' and requesting him to cut and come again with all speed.The 'young feller' complying, Mr Chuckster put his hands in his pockets, and tried to look as if he were not minding the pony, but happened to be lounging there by accident.

Kit scraped his shoes very carefully (for he had not yet lost his reverence for the bundles of papers and the tin boxes,) and tapped at the office-door, which was quickly opened by the Notary himself.

'Oh! come in, Christopher,' said Mr Witherden.

'Is that the lad?' asked an elderly gentleman, but of a stout, bluff figure--who was in the room.

'That's the lad,' said Mr Witherden.'He fell in with my client, Mr Garland, sir, at this very door.I have reason to think he is a good lad, sir, and that you may believe what he says.Let me introduce Mr Abel Garland, sir--his young master; my articled pupil, sir, and most particular friend:--my most particular friend, sir,' repeated the Notary, drawing out his silk handkerchief and flourishing it about his face.

'Your servant, sir,' said the stranger gentleman.

'Yours, sir, I'm sure,' replied Mr Abel mildly.'You were wishing to speak to Christopher, sir?'

'Yes, I was.Have I your permission?'

'By all means.'

'My business is no secret; or I should rather say it need be no secret here,' said the stranger, observing that Mr Abel and the Notary were preparing to retire.'It relates to a dealer in curiosities with whom he lived, and in whom I am earnestly and warmly interested.I have been a stranger to this country, gentlemen, for very many years, and if I am deficient in form and ceremony, I hope you will forgive me.'

'No forgiveness is necessary, sir;--none whatever,' replied the Notary.And so said Mr Abel.

'I have been making inquiries in the neighbourhood in which his old master lived,' said the stranger, 'and I learn that he was served by this lad.I have found out his mother's house, and have been directed by her to this place as the nearest in which I should be likely to find him.That's the cause of my presenting myself here this morning.'

'I am very glad of any cause, sir,' said the Notary, 'which procures me the honour of this visit.'

'Sir,' retorted the stranger, 'you speak like a mere man of the world, and I think you something better.Therefore, pray do not sink your real character in paying unmeaning compliments to me.'

'Hem!' coughed the Notary.'You're a plain speaker, sir.'

'And a plain dealer,' returned the stranger.'It may be my long absence and inexperience that lead me to the conclusion; but if plain speakers are scarce in this part of the world, I fancy plain dealers are still scarcer.If my speaking should offend you, sir, my dealing, I hope, will make amends.'

Mr Witherden seemed a little disconcerted by the elderly gentleman's mode of conducting the dialogue; and as for Kit, he looked at him in open-mouthed astonishment: wondering what kind of language he would address to him, if he talked in that free and easy way to a Notary.It was with no harshness, however, though with something of constitutional irritability and haste, that he turned to Kit and said:

'If you think, my lad, that I am pursuing these inquiries with any other view than that of serving and reclaiming those I am in search of, you do me a very great wrong, and deceive yourself.Don't be deceived, I beg of you, but rely upon my assurance.The fact is, gentlemen,' he added, turning again to the Notary and his pupil, 'that I am in a very painful and wholly unexpected position.Icame to this city with a darling object at my heart, expecting to find no obstacle or difficulty in the way of its attainment.Ifind myself suddenly checked and stopped short, in the execution of my design, by a mystery which I cannot penetrate.Every effort Ihave made to penetrate it, has only served to render it darker and more obscure; and I am afraid to stir openly in the matter, lest those whom I anxiously pursue, should fly still farther from me.

I assure you that if you could give me any assistance, you would not be sorry to do so, if you knew how greatly I stand in need of it, and what a load it would relieve me from.'

There was a simplicity in this confidence which occasioned it to find a quick response in the breast of the good-natured Notary, who replied, in the same spirit, that the stranger had not mistaken his desire, and that if he could be of service to him, he would, most readily.

同类推荐
  • 韵石斋笔谈

    韵石斋笔谈

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 佛说甘露经陀罗尼

    佛说甘露经陀罗尼

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 佛说长寿灭罪护诸童子陀罗尼经

    佛说长寿灭罪护诸童子陀罗尼经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 毗尼日用切要香乳记

    毗尼日用切要香乳记

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 警世阴阳梦

    警世阴阳梦

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 长歌倾城花落人故

    长歌倾城花落人故

    皇宫争斗,奇异无疆,侵者大央。乱世苍苍,微光迷离,生死茫茫。情之伤悲,少年白发,何处心安?每个人的命运在世事万殊的世间,都是那般渺小甚微。有人为信仰披荆斩棘,有人为权势不顾一切,有人为情爱付诸性命。故人已故,海棠花落,岁月老去,生命流去。唯留思念,永恒不歇。
  • 圣婴

    圣婴

    中国悬疑小说第一人蔡骏早年力作全新修订版。文青时代的中短篇小说盛宴。展现长篇悬疑之外的文字魔力。一段隐秘的宗教过往,暗藏现代人命运异数的玄机。收录蔡骏早年中短篇小说作品。作者在漫长的人类历史里溯流而上,寻找终极真相,然而真相始终隐藏在迷雾之后,命运无可避免地陷入轮回……
  • 巧建桃花源

    巧建桃花源

    突遇变故,受命伴归途。面对嗜赌之人,亲情难断。冷风寒之手,收下能仆。幽灵草之毒,如何能解。身陷七狼之中,竟然脱身。万仞峭壁之下,溪水源头,丛林里面。突现桃花源。
  • 欧洲战史

    欧洲战史

    军事历史是我们了解人类发展的主要窗口。军事与政治向来是相伴相随的,军事历史是政治历史的演绎,也是政治历史发展的高潮。任何一个朝代或者一个国家的开始与终极,都是伴随着军事战争的开始或终极。军事历史使政治历史更加集中清晰,更加丰富与生动。我们要了解历史发展的概貌,首先就要了解军事历史发展的脉络。
  • 逆道丹神

    逆道丹神

    丹道天骄夏寻身殒,携大道金莲花瓣重生到目盲少年身上,从此强势崛起。双目失明,便练就一双洞悉一切的天眼!大道所逆,便夺取天地之造化强势修炼!这一世,终要冲破霄穹,宁负苍天不负卿。
  • 独特的浩然现象与中国当代文学

    独特的浩然现象与中国当代文学

    浩然作为跨越十七年、“文化大革命”、新时期的见证作家,他在每个生命阶段的创作都预示着当代文学的转折性意义,他在文学意义上的重要性不言自...
  • 皇朝经世文续编_2

    皇朝经世文续编_2

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • The Little Lame Prince

    The Little Lame Prince

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 万界诸天无敌之路

    万界诸天无敌之路

    奇得系统之后,一个人流浪在诸天,做事不拘小节,不管别人怎么看!李天:别人怎么看与我何干?我做事,你没有资格管!(经诸多书友评论,前期一百多章有毒,而且是剧毒!大家可以从一百六十章开始读起!)
  • 大乘密嚴經

    大乘密嚴經

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。