Oldal 196 [196]
144 OLIVER
tall and dark, and wore a large cloak.
He had the air of a stranger, and seem¬
ed, by a certain haggardness in his look,
as well as by the dusty soils on his dress,
to have travelled some distance. He
eyed Bumble askance as he entered, but
scarcely deigned to nod his head in ac¬
knowledgment of his salutation.
Mr. Bumble had quite dignity enough
for two, supposing even that the stranger
had been sine teenitiae so he drank his
gin-and-water in silence, and read the
portance.
It so happened, however,—as it will
happen very often when men fall into
company under such circumstances, —
that Mr. Bumble felt every now and then
a powerful inducement, which he could
not resist, to steal a look at the stranger,
and that whenever he did so he withdrew
his eyes in some confusion, to find that
the stranger was at that moment stealing
a look at him. Mr. Bumble’s awkward¬
ness was enhanced by the very remark¬
able expression of the stranger’s eye,
which was keen and bright, but shadow¬
ed by a scowl of distrust and suspicion
unlike anything he had observed before,
and most repulsive to behold.
When they had encountered each
other’s glance several times in this way,
the stranger, in a harsh, deep voice,
broke silence.
“Were you looking for me,” he said,
“when you peered in at the window 2”
“Not that I am aware of, unless
you re Mr. .’ Here Mr. Bumble
stopped short, for he was curious to
know the stranger’s name, and thought
in his impatience he might supply the
blank.
‘| see you were not,” said the stranger,
an expression of quiet sarcasm playing
known my name. You don’t know it,
and I should recommend you not to in¬
gnire."
1 meant no harm, young man," ob¬
served Mr. Bumble, majestically.
s And have done none,” said the
stranger.
Another silence succeeded this short
dialogue, which was again broken by the
stranger.
“I have seen you before, I think,” said
he. “You were differently dressed at
that time, and I only passed you in the
street, but I should know you again.
You were beadle here once, were you
not ?”
TWIST.
“T was,” said Mr. Bumble, in some
surprise. “ Porochial beadle.”
* Just so,” rejoined the other, noddin
his head. “It was in that diretto?
saw you. What are you now?”
“Master of the workhouse,” rejoined
Mr. Bumble, slowly and impressively, to
check any undue familiarity the stranger
might otherwise assume. " Master of
the workhouse, young man!”
“You have the same eye to your own
interest that you always have had, I
doubt not?” resumed the stranger, look¬
ing keenly into Mr. Bumble’s eyes as he
raised them in astonishment at the ques¬
tion. “Don’t scruple to answer freely,
man. I know you pretty well, you see.”
6 [ suppose a married man," replied
Mr. Bumble, shading his eyes with his
hand, and surveying the stranger from
head to foot in evident perplexity, “is
not more averse to turning an honest
penny when he can than a single one.
Porochial officers are not so well paid
that they can afford to refuse any little
extra fee, when it comes to them in a
civil and proper manner.”
The stranger smiled, and nodded his
head again, as much as to say he found
he had not mistaken his man: then rang
the bell. |
“ Fill this glass again,” he said, hand¬
ing Mr. Bumble’s empty tumbler to the
landlord. “Let it be strong and hot.
You like it so, I suppose ?”
* Not too strong,” replied Mr. Bumble,
with a delicate cough.
‘You understand what that means,
landlord !” said the stranger, drily.
The host smiled, disappeared, and short¬
ly afterwards returned with a steaming
jorum, of which the first gulph brought
the water into Mr. Bumble’s eyes.
6 Now listen to me,” said the stranger,
after closing the door and window. "1
came down to this place to-day to find
you out, and, by one of those chances
which the devil throws in the way of his
friends sometimes, you walked into the
very room I was sitting in while you
were uppermost in my mind. I want
some information from you, and don’t ask
you to give it for nothing, slight as it Is.
Put up that to begin with.”
As he spoke he pushed a couple of
sovereigns across the table to his com¬
panion carefully, as though unwilling that
the clinking of the money should be heard
without; and when Mr. Bumble had
scrupulously examined the coins to see
that they were genuine, and put them up