The brother clerks : $b a tale of New-OrleansTownsend, Mary Ashley
General
The brother clerks : $b a tale of New-Orleans
Townsend, Mary Ashley
New Orleans (La.) -- Fiction
The dwarf was dismissed, but waited to hear the end of the trial; and
had the satisfaction of seeing Clinton, against whom the testimony was
so strong, sentenced to five years' imprisonment; and the veritable
Charley Quirk brought in under arrest, on the strength of his evidence.
He then turned to go away, but catching sight of Guly, he advanced
toward him, nodding his head, winking his great eye, and chuckling
joyfully to himself.
"Hih, Monsieur; not seen you since that day you so sick in bed. Tink of
you one great deal--miss you great deal--need your picayune a great
deal--love me yet, Monsieur?"
"Yes, Richard," said the boy, kindly, laying his hand on his great
ill-shaped head, as they went out together. "Have you suffered for want
of my humble charity, in this great city, poor fellow?"
"No, Monsieur; I have lived on the dime the tall man gave me, in your
room the other day. Hih, hih! but I've suffered for want of your face,
Monsieur. Rare thing for poor Richard to look in any one's face, and
remember he has said he loved such a dismal little thing as me; hih!
rare thing that, yes."
Guly sighed as he listened to these touching, mournful words, and
slipping some money into the dwarf's hand, bade him good-bye, telling
him he would see him soon again, and hurried on to the store.
He missed Wilkins' kind face, as he passed his desk, and felt sad, when
he remembered he might never see him there any more. Mr. Delancey was
not in the store either, and there was evidence of the want of a
presiding mind in the appearance of the whole store; clerks talking
together in knots, while some of the customers were being neglected;
goods still covered with the linen curtains, and counters undusted and
unattended.
As Guly took his place, Arthur crossed over, and inquired, in a steady
tone, but with an excited manner, how the trial had gone.
Guly informed him, at the same time telling him the fact of Clinton's
proving to be Mr. Delancey's son.
Arthur started violently, and turned away to conceal the emotion which
he could not repress, as he remembered he had unconsciously assisted a
son to rob his own father! The thought brought so much remorse with it,
that, seizing his hat, he started away to the nearest saloon, to procure
something to drown the unpleasant memory. Guly looked after him with a
deep sigh, feeling that what influence he might once have possessed over
him, was gone for ever,--wrested from him by the overpowering hands of
an honest pride, unjustly dealt with, and the attendant circumstances of
evil society.
The memory of the voice, which came from beneath the mask on that
fearful night, had never passed from the boy's heart; and though he
studiously concealed his fears, he could but tremble at the conviction,
that Arthur might, at any moment, share the fate of the unfortunate
young man he had just seen convicted.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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