Japhet in Search of a Father Part 30

"If you recollect, sir, he was bound to an apothecary of the name of Cophagus, in consequence of some money which was left with him as an infant, enclosed in a letter, in which it was said that he would be reclaimed if circ.u.mstances permitted."

"I recollect it perfectly well--it is now about six years back. I think there was some inquiry, was there not, Mr G--?"

"I think that there was, about a year and a half ago; but we will send for the secretary, and refer to the minutes."

My heart beat quick, and the perspiration bedewed my forehead, when I heard this intelligence. At last, my emotion was so great, that I felt faint. "You are ill, sir," said one of the gentlemen; "quick--a gla.s.s of water."

The attendant brought a gla.s.s of water, which I drank, and recovered myself. "You appear to be much interested in this young man's welfare."

"I am, sir," replied I; "no one can be more so."

The secretary now made his appearance with the register, and after turning over the leaves, read as follows: "August the 16th,--a gentleman came to inquire after an infant left here, of the name of j.a.phet, with whom money had been deposited--j.a.phet, christened by order of the governors, j.a.phet Newland--referred to the shop of Mr Cophagus, Smithfield Market. He returned the next day, saying that Mr Cophagus had retired from business--that the parties in the shop knew nothing for certain, but believed that the said j.a.phet Newland had been transported for life for forgery, about a year before."

"Good heavens! what an infamous a.s.sertion!" exclaimed I, clasping my hands.

"On reference back to the calendar, we observed that one J. Newland was transported for such an offence. Query?"

"It must have been some other person; but this has arisen from the vindictive feeling of those two scoundrels who served under Pleggit,"

cried I.

"How can you possibly tell, sir?" mildly observed one of the governors.

"How can I tell, sir!" replied I, starting from my chair. "Why, I am _j.a.phet Newland_ myself, sir."

"You, sir," replied the governor, surveying my fashionable exterior, my chains, and bijouterie.

"Yes, sir, I am the j.a.phet Newland brought up in the asylum, and who was apprenticed to Mr Cophagus."

"Probably, then, sir," replied the president, "you are the Mr Newland whose name appears at all the fashionable parties in high life?"

"I believe that I am the same person, sir."

"I wish you joy upon your success in the world, sir. It would not appear that it can be very important to you to discover your parents."

"Sir," replied I, "you have never known what it is to feel the want of parents and friends. Fortunate as you may consider me to be--and I acknowledge I have every reason to be grateful for my unexpected rise in life--I would, at this moment, give up all that I am worth, resume my Foundling dress, and be turned out a beggar, if I could but discover the authors of my existence."--I then bowed low to the governors, and quitted the room.

PART TWO, CHAPTER FOURTEEN.

MISCHIEF BREWING--TIMOTHY AND I SET OUR WITS TO WORK, AND HE RESUMES HIS OLD PROFESSION OF A GIPSY.

I hastened home with feelings too painful to be described. I had a soreness at my heart, an oppression on my spirits, which weighed me down. I had but one wish--that I was dead. I had already imparted to Harcourt the history of my life; and when I came in, I threw myself upon the sofa in despair, and relieved my agonised heart with a flood of tears. As soon as I could compose myself, I stated what had occurred.

"My dear Newland, although it has been an unfortunate occurrence in itself, I do not see that you have so much cause to grieve, for you have this satisfaction, that it appears there has been a wish to reclaim you."

"Yes," replied I, "I grant that; but have they not been told, and have they not believed, that I have been ignominiously punished for a capital crime? Will they ever seek me more?"

"Probably not; you must now seek them. What I should recommend is, that you repair to-morrow to the apothecary's shop, and interrogate relative to the person who called to make inquiries after you. If you will allow me, I will go with you."

"And be insulted by those malignant scoundrels?"

"They dare not insult you. As an apothecary's apprentice they would, but as a gentleman they will quail; and if they do not, their master will most certainly be civil, and give you all the information which he can. We may as well, however, not do things by halves; I will borrow my aunt's carriage for the morning, and we will go in style."

"I think I will call this evening upon Mr Masterton, and ask his advice."

"Ask him to accompany us, Newland, and he will frighten them with libel, and defamation of character."

I called upon Mr Masterton, that evening, and told my story. "It is indeed very provoking, Newland; but keep your courage up, I will go with you to-morrow, and will see what we can make of it. At what time do you propose to start?"

"Will it suit you, sir, if we call at one o'clock?"

"Yes; so good night, my boy, for I have something here which I must contrive to get through before that time."

Harcourt had procured the carriage, and we picked up Masterton at the hour agreed, and proceeded to Smithfield. When we drove up to the door of Mr Pleggit's shop, the a.s.sistants at first imagined that it was a mistake; few handsome carriages are to be seen stopping in this quarter of the metropolis. We descended and entered the shop, Mr Masterton inquiring if Mr Pleggit was at home. The shopmen, who had not recognised me, bowed to the ground in their awkward way; and one ran to call Mr Pleggit, who was up stairs. Mr Pleggit descended, and we walked into the back parlour. Mr Masterton then told him the object of our calling, and requested to know why the gentleman, who had inquired after me, had been sent away with the infamous fabrication that I had been transported for forgery. Mr Pleggit protested innocence-- recollected, however, that a person had called--would make every inquiry of his shopmen. The head man was called in and interrogated--at first he appeared to make a joke of it, but when threatened by Mr Masterton became humble--acknowledged that they had said that I was transported, for they had read it in the newspapers--was sorry for the mistake; said that the gentleman was a very tall person, very well-dressed, very much of a gentleman--could not recollect his exact dress--was a large built man, with a stern face--but seemed very much agitated when he heard that I had been transported. Called twice, Mr Pleggit was not in at first-- left his name--thinks the name was put down on the day-book--when he called a second time, Mr Pleggit was at home, and referred him to them, not knowing what had become of me. The other shopman was examined, and his evidence proved similar to that of the first. The day-book was sent for, and the day in August--referred to; there was a name written down on the side of the page, which the shopman said he had no doubt, indeed he could almost swear, was the gentleman's name, as there was no other name put down on that day. The name, as taken down, was _Derbennon_.

This was all the information we could obtain, and we then quitted the shop, and drove off without there being any recognition of me on the part of Mr Pleggit and his a.s.sistants.

"I never heard that name before," observed Harcourt to Mr Masterton.

"It is, in all probability, De Benyon," replied the lawyer: "we must make allowances for their ignorance. At all events, this is a sort of clue to follow up. The De Benyons are Irish."

"Then I will set off for Ireland to-morrow morning, sir," said I.

"You will do no such thing," replied the lawyer; "but you will call upon me to-morrow evening, and perhaps I may have something to say to you."

I did not fail to attend Mr Masterton, who stated that he had made every inquiry relative to the De Benyons; as he had said, they were an Irish family of the highest rank, and holding the peerage of De Beauvoir; but that he had written to his agent in Dublin, giving him directions to obtain for him every possible information in his power relative to all the individuals composing it. Till this had been received, all that I could do was to remain quiet. I then narrated to him the behaviour of the agent, Mr Iving, to Timothy. "There is some mystery there, most a.s.suredly," observed Mr Masterton: "when do you go again to--?"

I replied, that it was not my intention to go there for some time, unless he would wish to see the little girl.

"I do, Newland. I think I must take her under my protection as well as you. We will go down to-morrow. Sunday is the only day I can spare; but it must be put down as a work of charity."

The next day we went down to --. Fleta was surprised to see me so soon, and Mr Masterton was much struck with the elegance and cla.s.sical features of my little protegee. He asked her many questions, and, with his legal tact, contrived to draw from her many little points relative to her infant days, which she had, till he put his probing questions, quite forgotten. As we returned to town, he observed, "You are right, j.a.phet; that is no child of humble origin. Her very appearance contradicts it; but we have, I think, a chance of discovering who she is--a better one, I'm afraid, than at present we have for your identification. But never mind, let us trust to perseverance."

For three weeks I continued to live with Harcourt, but I did not go out much. Such was the state of my affairs, when Timothy came to my room one morning, and said, "I do not know whether you have observed it, sir; but there is a man constantly lurking about here, watching the house, I believe. I think, but still I'm not quite sure, that I have seen his face before; but where I cannot recollect."

"Indeed, what sort of a person may he be?"

"He is a very dark man, stout, and well made; and is dressed in a sort of half-sailor, half-gentleman's dress, such as you see put on by those who belong to the Funny Clubs on the river; but he is not at all a gentleman himself--quite the contrary. It is now about a week that I have seen him, every day; and I have watched him, and perceive that he generally follows you as soon as you go out."

"Well," replied I, "we must find out what he wants--if we can. Point him out to me; I will soon see if he is tracing my steps."

Timothy pointed him out to me after breakfast; I could not recollect the face, and yet it appeared that I had seen it before. I went out, and after pa.s.sing half a dozen streets, I turned round and perceived that the man was dodging me. I took no notice, but being resolved to try him again, I walked to the White Horse Cellar, and took a seat inside a Brentford coach about to start. On my arrival at Brentford I got out, and perceived that the man was on the roof. Of a sudden it flashed on my memory--it was the gipsy who had come to the camp with the communication to Melchior, which induced him to quit it. I recollected him--and his kneeling down by the stream and washing his face. The mystery was solved--Melchior had employed him to find out the residence of Fleta. In all probability they had applied to the false address given by Timothy, and in consequence were trying, by watching my motions, to find out the true one. "You shall be deceived, at all events," thought I, as I walked on through Brentford until I came to a ladies' seminary. I rang the bell, and was admitted, stating my wish to know the terms of the school for a young lady, and contrived to make as long a stay as I could, promising to call again, if the relatives of the young lady were as satisfied as I professed to be. On my quitting the house, I perceived that my gipsy attendant was not far off. I took the first stage back, and returned to my lodgings. When I had told all that had occurred to Timothy, he replied, "I think, sir, that if you could replace me for a week or two, I could now be of great service. He does not know me, and if I were to darken my face, and put on a proper dress, I think I should have no difficulty in pa.s.sing myself off as one of the tribe, knowing their slang, and having been so much with them."

"But what good do you antic.i.p.ate, Timothy?"

"My object is to find out where he puts up, and to take the same quarters--make his acquaintance, and find out who Melchior is, and where he lives. My knowledge of him and Nattee may perhaps a.s.sist me."

"You must be careful, then, Timothy; for he may know sufficient of our history to suspect you."