Stranica 220 [220]
164
to bring these scoundrels to justice with¬
out compromising her safety, what good
should we bring about ?”’
s Hanging a few of them at least, in
all probability,” suggested the doctor,
66 and transporting the rest.”
“Very good,” replied Mr. Brownlow
smiling, “but no doubt they will bring
" hat about themselves in the fullness of
time, and if we step in to forestall] them,
it seems to me that we shall be perform¬
ing a very Quixotic act in direct opposi¬
tion to our own interest, or at least to
Oliver’s, which is the same thing.”
6 How ?” inquired the doctor.
“Thus. It is quite clear that we shall
have the most extreme difficulty in get¬
ting to the bottom of this mystery, unless
we can bring this man, Monks, upon his
knees. ‘That can only be done by strata¬
gem, and by catching him when he is not
surrounded by these people. For, suppose
he were apprehended, we have no proof
against him. He is not even (so far as
we know, or as the facts appear to us,)
concerned with the gang in any of their
robberies. If he were not discharged, it
is very unlikely that he could receive any
further punishment than being committed
to prison as a rogue and vagabond, and of
course ever afterwards his mouth is so
obstinately closed that he might as well,
for our purposes, be deaf, dumb, blind, and
an idiot.”
“Then,” said the doctor impetuously,
“T put it to you again, whether you think
it reasonable that this promise to the girl
should be considered binding; a promise
made with the best and kindest inten¬
tions, but really —"
“Do not discuss the point, my dear
young lady, pray,” said Mr. Brownlow
interrupting Rose as she was about to
speak. ‘'Ihe promise shall be kept. I
don’t think it will in the slightest degree
interfere with our proceedings. But be¬
fore we can resolve upon any precise
course of action, it will be necessary to
see the girl, to ascertain from her whether
she will point out this Monks on the un¬
derstanding that she is to be dealt with
by us, and not by the law; or if she will
not or csunot do that, to procure from her
such an account of his haunts and descrip¬
tion of his person as will enable us to iden¬
tify him. She cannot be seen until next
Sunday night: this is Tuesday. I would
suggest that, in the mean time, we re¬
main perfectly quiet, and keep these
matters’ secret even from Oliver him¬
self.”
Although Mr, Losberne received with
many wry faces a proposal involving a
delay of five whole days, he was fain to
admit that no better course occurred to
him just then; and as both Rose and Mrs.
Maylie sided very strongly with Mr.
Brownlow, that gentleman’s proposition
was carried unanimously.
c! should like,” he said, “to call in
the aid of my friend Grimwig. He is a
strange creature, but a shrewd one, and
might prove of material assistance to us;
I should say that he was bred a lawyer
and quitted the bar in disgust because he
had only one brief and a motion of course
in ten years, though whether that is a
recommendation or not, you must deter¬
mine yourselves.” |
“T have no objections to your calling
in your friend if I may call in mine,”
said the doctor.
s We must put it to the vote,” replied
Mr. Brownlow, “ who may he be?"
s That lady’s son, and this young lady’s
—very old friend,” said the doctor, mo¬
ding with an expressive glance at her
niece. x
Rose blushed deeply, but she did not
make any audible objection to this motion
(possibly she felt in a hopeless minority)
and Harry Maylieand Mr. Grimwig were
accordingly added to the committee.
c We stay in town of course,” said
Mrs. Maylie, " while there remains the
slightest prospect of prosecuting this in¬
quiry with a chance of success, I will
spure neither trouble nor expense in be¬
half of the object in whom we are all so
deeply interested, and I am content to
remain here, if it be for twelve months,
so long as you assure me that any hope
remains.”
“ Good,” rejoined Mr. Brownlow, “ and
as I see on the faces about me a disposi¬
tion to inquire how it happened that I
was not in the way to corroborate Oliver’s
tale, and had so suddenly left the king¬
dom, let me stipulate that I shall be asked
no questions until such time as I may
deem it expedient to forestall them by
telling my own story. Believe me that
I make this request with good reason, for
I might otherwise excite hopes destined
never to be realized, and only increase