"Come, Timothy, at all events this is better than I expected--but now
I'll tell you what I propose to do. Harcourt was with me yesterday, and
he wishes me to go down with him to ----. There will be the assizes, and
the county ball, and a great deal of gaiety, and I have an idea that it
is just as well to beat the country as the town. I dine with Mr
Masterton on Friday. On Saturday I will go down and see Fleta, and on
Tuesday or Wednesday I will start with Harcourt to his father's, where
he has promised me a hearty welcome. Was there anything at Coleman
Street?"
"Yes, sir; Mr Iving said that he had just received a letter from your
correspondent, and that he wished to know if the little girl was well; I
told him that she was. Mr Iving laid the letter down on the desk, and I
read the postmark, Dublin."
"Dublin," replied I. "I should like to find out who Melchior is--and so
I will as soon as I can."
"Well, sir, I have not finished my story. Mr Iving said, 'My
correspondent wishes to know whether the education of the little girl is
attended to?' 'Yes,' replied I, 'it is.' 'Is she at school?' 'Yes, she
has been at school ever since we have been in London.' 'Where is she at
school?' inquired he. Now, sir, as I never was asked that question by
him before, I did not know whether I ought to give an answer, so I
replied, 'that I did not know.' 'You know whether she is in London or
not, do you not?' 'How should I?' replied I, 'master had put her to
school before I put on his liveries.' 'Does he never go to see her?'
inquired he. 'I suppose so,' said I. 'Then you really know nothing
about it?--then look you, my lad, I am anxious to find out where she is
at school, and the name of the people, and if you will find out the
direction for me, it will be money in your pocket, that's all.' 'Um,'
replied I, 'but how much?' 'Why, more than you think for, my man, it
will be a ten-pound note.' 'That alters the case,' replied I; 'now I
think again, I have an idea that I do remember seeing her address on a
letter my master wrote to her.' 'Ay,' replied Mr Iving, 'it's
astonishing how money sharpens the memory. I'll keep to my bargain; give
me the address, and here's the ten-pound note.' 'I'm afraid that my
master will be angry,' said I, as if I did not much like to tell him.
'Your master will never know anything about it, and you may serve a long
time before he gives you a ten-pound note above your wages.' 'That's
very true,' said I, 'sarvice is no inheritance. Well, then, give me the
money, and I'll write it down.'"
"And did you give it?" interrupted I.
"Stop a moment, sir, and you shall hear. I wrote down the address of
that large school at Kensington, which we pass when we go to Mr Aubrey
White's."
"What, that tremendous large board with yellow letters--Mrs Let--what is
it?"
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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