Stranica 167 [167]
OCR
121 one comfort. We must make the best of it we can; and, if bad "s the best, it’s no fault of ours. Come in.” 6 Well, master,” said Blathers, entering the room, followed by his colleague, and making the door fast before he said any more. “ This warn’t a _ put-up thing.” ‘“ And what the devil’s a put-up thing !” demanded the doctor impatiently. “We call it a put-up robbery, ladies,” said Blathers, turning to them, as if he compassioned their ignorance, but had a contempt for the doctor’s “ when the servants is in it.” *‘ Nobedy suspected them in this case,” said Mrs. Maylie. “Wery likely not, ma’am,” replied Blathers, “ but they might have been in it, for all that.” ‘“‘ More likely on that wery account,” said Duff. “We find it was a town hand,” said Blathers, continuing his report; "for the style of work is first-rate.” Wery pretty indeed, it is,” remarked Duff in an under tone. s There was two of "em in it,” continued Blathers, “and they had a boy with ’em; that’s plain, from the size of the window. That’s all to be said at present. We'll see this lad that you’ve got up stairs at once, if you please.” c Perhaps they will take something to drink first, Mrs. Maylie ?? said the doctor, his face brightening up as if some new thought had occurred to him. “Oh! to be sure!” exclaimed Rose, eagerly. ‘ You shall have it immediately, if you will.” c Why, thank you, Miss!” said Blathers, drawing his coat-sleeve across his mouth: “it’s dry work this sort of duty. Anything that’s handy, Miss; don’t put yourself out of the way on our accounts.” * What shall it be?” asked the doctor, following the young lady to the sideboard. 6 A little drop of spirits, master, if it’s all the same,” replied Blathers. cold ride from London, ma’am, and I always find that spirits comes home warmer to the feelings." | This interesting communication was addressed to Mrs. Maylie, who received it very graciously. While it was being conveyed to her, the doctor slipped out of the room. . “Ah!” said Mr. Blathers, not holding his wine-glass by the stem, but grasping the bottom between the thumb and fore11 Q front of his chest. "I have seen a good many pieces of business like this in my time, ladies." “ That crack down in the back lane at Edmonton, Blathers,” said Mr. Duff, assisting his colleague’s memory. “That was something in this way, warn’t it?" rejoined Mr. Blathers ; that was done by Conkey Chickweed, that was." “ You always gave that to him," replied Duff “It was the Family Pet, I tell you, and Conkey had n’t any more to do with it than I had.” cc Get out!” retorted Mr. Blathers: “I know better. Do you mind that time Conkey was robbed of his money, though? What a start that was! better than any novel-book I ever see!" c What was that?’ inquired Rose, anxious to encourage wes symptoms of good humour in the unwelcome visitors. “It was a robbery, Miss, that hardly any body would have been down upon,” said Blathers. ‘ ‘This here Conkey Chick weed " “ Conkey means Nosey, ma’am,” interposed Du 6 Of course the lady knows that, don’t she?” demanded Mr. Blathers. " Always interrupting you are, partner. This here Conkey Chickweed, Miss, kept a publichouse over Battle-bridge way, and had a cellar where a good many young lords went to see cockfighting, and badgerdrawing, and that; and a wery intellectual manner the sports was conducted in, for I’ve seen "em off’en. He warn’t one of the family at that time; and one night he was robbed of three hundred and twenty-seven guineas in a canvas-bag, that was stole out of his bedroom in the patch over his eye, who had concealed himself under the bed, and, after comwindow, which was only a story high, He was wery quick about it. But Conkey was quick, too, for he was woke by the noise, and, darting out of bed, fired a blunderbuss arter him, and roused the neighbourhood. They set up a hue-andcry directly, and, when they came to look about ’em, found that Conkey had hit the robber, for there was traces of blood all the way to some palings a good distance off, and there they lost ‘em. However he had made off with the blunt, and, consequently, the name of Mr. Chickweed, licensed witler, appeared in the Gazette among the other bankrupts; f benefits and subscrip
