Harper's New Monthly Magazine, No. XXVI, July 1852, Vol. VVarious
History
Harper's New Monthly Magazine, No. XXVI, July 1852, Vol. V
Various
American literature -- Periodicals; Civilization -- Periodicals; Culture -- Periodicals
"Hadn't you better see," says Mr. Tulkinghorn to Krook, "whether he
had any papers that may enlighten you? There will be an Inquest, and
you will be asked the question. You can read?"
"No, I can't," returns the old man, with a sudden grin.
"Snagsby," says Mr. Tulkinghorn, "look over the room for him. He will
get into some trouble or difficulty, otherwise. Being here, I'll wait,
if you make haste; and then I can testify on his behalf, if it should
ever be necessary, that all was fair and right. If you will hold the
candle for Mr. Snagsby, my friend, he'll soon see whether there is any
thing to help you."
"In the first place, here's an old portmanteau, sir," says Snagsby.
Ah, to be sure, so there is! Mr. Tulkinghorn does not appear to have
seen it before, though he is standing so close to it, and though there
is very little else, Heaven knows.
The marine-store merchant holds the light, and the law-stationer
conducts the search. The surgeon leans against a corner of the
chimney-piece; Miss Flite peeps and trembles just within the door. The
apt old scholar of the old school, with his dull black breeches tied
with ribbons at the knees, his large black waistcoat, his long-sleeved
black coat, and his wisp of limp white neck-kerchief tied in the bow
the Peerage knows so well, stands in exactly the same place and
attitude.
There are some worthless articles of clothing in the old portmanteau;
there is a bundle of pawnbrokers' duplicates, those turnpike tickets
on the road of Poverty, there is a crumpled paper, smelling of opium,
on which are scrawled rough memoranda--as, took, such a day, so many
grains; took, such another day, so many more--begun some time ago, as
if with the intention of being regularly continued, but soon left off.
There are a few dirty scraps of newspapers, all referring to Coroners'
Inquests; there is nothing else. They search the cupboard, and the
drawer of the ink-splashed table. There is not a morsel of an old
letter, or of any other writing, in either. The young surgeon examines
the dress on the law-writer. A knife and some odd halfpence are all he
finds. Mr. Snagsby's suggestion is the practical suggestion after all,
and the beadle must be called in.
So the little crazy lodger goes for the beadle, and the rest come out
of the room. "Don't leave the cat there!" says the surgeon: "that
won't do!" Mr. Krook therefore drives her out before him; and she goes
furtively down stairs, winding her lithe tail and licking her lips.
"Good-night!" says Mr. Tulkinghorn; and goes home to Allegory and
meditation.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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