put yourself in his place-第3部分

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me　by　leaving　my　house；　Mr。　Raby。〃

〃Oh；　no；　James！〃　cried　Edith；　trembling；　and　shocked　at　this　affront。　　But　Guy　rose　like　a　tower。　　〃I've　noticed　this　trait　in　all　tradespeople；〃　said　he　grimly。　　〃They　are　obsequious　to　a　gentleman　so　long　as　they　hope　to　get　the　better　of　him；　but；　the　moment　they　find　it　is　impossible　to　overreach　him；　they　insult　him。〃　　And　with　this　he　stalked　out　of　the　house。

〃Oh；　my　poor　James；　how　could　you？〃　said　Edith。

〃Forgive　me；〃　said　he；　quietly。　　〃It　is　all　over。　　That　was　our　last　chance。〃

Guy　Raby　walked　down　the　street；　stung　to　the　quick。　　He　went　straight　to　his　solicitor　and　arranged　to　borrow　L1900　on　his　own　property。　　〃For；〃　said　he；　〃I'll　show　them　both　how　little　a　snob　can　understand　a　gentleman。　　I　won't　tamper　with　her　son's　money；　but　I'll　give　her　my　own　to　throw　into　his　well。　　Confound　him！　why　did　she　ever　marry　him？〃

When　the　business　was　virtually　settled；　he　came　back　to　the　house　in　great　haste。


Meantime　Mr。　James　Little　went　up　to　his　dressing…room；　as　usual；　to　dress　for　dinner；　but　he　remained　there　so　long　that；　at　last；　Mrs。　Little　sent　her　maid　to　tell　him　dinner　was　ready。

The　girl　had　hardly　reached　the　top　of　the　stairs；　when　she　gave　a　terrible　scream　that　rang　through　the　whole　house。

Mrs。　Little　rushed　upstairs；　and　found　her　clinging　to　the　balusters；　and　pointing　at　the　floor；　with　eyes　protruding　and　full　of　horror。　　Her　candle…stick　had　fallen　from　her　benumbed　hand；　but　the　hall…lamp　revealed　what　her　finger　was　quivering　and　pointing　at：　a　dark　fluid　trickling　slowly　out　into　the　lobby　from　beneath　the　bedroom　door。

It　was　blood。

The　room　was　burst　into；　and　the　wretched；　tottering　wife；　hanging　upon　her　sobbing　servants；　found　her　lover；　her　husband；　her　child's　father；　lying　on　the　floor；　dead　by　his　own　hand；　stone　dead。　　A　terrible　sight　for　strangers　to　see；　but　for　her；　what　words　can　even　shadow　the　horror　of　it！

I　drop　the　veil　on　her　wild　bursts　of　agony；　and　piteous　appeals　to　him　who　could　not　hear　her　cries。

The　gaping　wound　that　let　out　that　precious　life；　her　eye　never　ceased　to　see　it；　nor　her　own　heart　to　bleed　with　it；　while　she　lived。

She　was　gently　dragged　away；　and　supported　down　to　another　room。　Doctor　Amboyne　came　and　did　what　he　could　for　her；　and　that　was　nothing。

At　this　time　she　seemed　stupefied。　　But　when　Guy　came　beaming　into　the　room　to　tell　her　he　had　got　her　the　money；　a　terrible　scene　occurred。　　The　bereaved　wife　uttered　a　miserable　scream　at　sight　of　him；　and　swooned　away　directly。

The　maids　gathered　round　her；　laid　her　down；　and　cut　her　stays；　and　told　Guy　the　terrible　tidings；　in　broken　whispers；　over　her　insensible　body。

He　rose　to　his　feet　horrified。　　He　began　to　gasp　and　sob。　　And　he　yearned　to　say　something　to　comfort　her。　　At　that　moment　his　house；　his　heart；　and　all　he　had；　were　hers。

But；　as　soon　as　she　came　to　herself；　and　caught　sight　of　him；　she　screamed　out；　〃Oh；　the　sight　of　him！　the　sight　of　him！〃　and　swooned　away　again。

Then　the　women　pushed　him　out　of　the　room；　and　he　went　away　with　uneven　steps；　and　sick　at　heart。

He　shut　himself　up　in　Raby　Hall；　and　felt　very　sad　and　remorseful。　He　directed　his　solicitor　to　render　Mrs。　Little　every　assistance；　and　supply　her　with　funds。　　But　these　good　offices　were　respectfully　declined　by　Mr。　Joseph　Little；　the　brother　of　the　deceased；　who　had　come　from　Birmingham　to　conduct　the　funeral　and　settle　other　matters。

Mr。　Joseph　Little　was　known　to　be　a　small　master…cutler；　who　had　risen　from　a　workman；　and　even　now　put　blades　and　handles　together　with　his　own　hands；　at　odd　times；　though　he　had　long　ceased　to　forge　or　grind。

Mr。　Raby　drew　in　haughtily　at　this　interference。

It　soon　transpired　that　Mr。　James　Little　had　died　hopelessly　insolvent；　and　the　L1900　would　really　have　been　ingulfed。

Raby　waited　for　this　fact　to　sink　into　his　sister's　mind；　and　then　one　day　nature　tugged　so　at　his　heart…strings；　that　he　dashed　off　a　warm　letter　beginning〃My　poor　Edith；　let　bygones　be　bygones；〃　and　inviting　her　and　her　boy　to　live　with　him　at　Raby　Hall。

The　heart…broken　widow　sent　back　a　reply；　in　a　handwriting　scarcely　recognizable　as　hers。　　Instead　of　her　usual　precise　and　delicate　hand；　the　letters　were　large；　tremulous；　and　straggling；　and　the　lines　slanted　downward。


〃Write　to　me；　speak　to　me；　no　more。　　For　pity's　sake　let　me　forget　there　is　a　man　in　the　world　who　is　my　brother　and　his　murderer。

〃EDITH。〃


Guy　opened　this　letter　with　a　hopeful　face；　and　turned　pale　as　ashes　at　the　contents。

But　his　conscience　was　clear；　and　his　spirit　high。　　〃Unjust　idiot！〃　he　muttered；　and　locked　her　letter　up　in　his　desk。

Next　morning　he　received　a　letter　from　Joseph　Little；　in　a　clear；　stiff；　perpendicular　writing：


〃SIR；I　find　my　sister…in…law　wrote　you；　yesterday；　a　harsh　letter；　which　I　do　not　approve；　and　have　told　her　as　much。　　Deceased's　affairs　were　irretrievable；　and　I　blame　no　other　man　for　his　rash　act；　which　may　God　forgive！　　As　to　your　kind　and　generous　invitation；　it　deserves　her　gratitude；　but　Mrs。　Little　and　myself　have　mingled　our　tears　together　over　my　poor　brother's　grave；　and　now　we　do　not　care　to　part。　　Before　your　esteemed　favor　came　to　hand；　it　had　been　settled　she　should　leave　this　sad　neighborhood　and　keep　my　house　at　Birmingham；　where　she　will　meet　with　due　respect。　I　am　only　a　small　tradesman；　but　I　can　pay　my　debts；　and　keep　the　pot　boiling。　　Will　teach　the　boy　some　good　trade；　and　make　him　a　useful　member　of　society；　if　I　am　spared。

〃I　am；　sir；　yours　respectfully；

〃JOSEPH　LITTLE。〃


〃Sir；I　beg　to　acknowledge；　with　thanks；　your　respectable　letter。

〃As　all　direct　communication　between　Mrs。　James　Little　and　myself　is　at　an　end；　oblige　me　with　your　address　in　Birmingham；　that　I　may　remit　to　you；　half…yearly；　as　her　agent；　the　small　sum　that　has　escaped　bricks　and　mortar。

〃When　her　son　comes　of　age；　she　will　probably　forgive　me　for　declining　to　defraud　him　of　his　patrimony。

〃But　it　will　be　too　late；　for　I　shall　never　forgive　her；　alive　or　dead。

〃I　am；　sir；　your　obedient　servant；

〃GUY　RABY。〃


When　he　had　posted　this　letter　he　turned　Edith's　picture　to　the　wall；　and　wrote　on　the　canvas


　　　　　　　〃GONE　INTO　TRADE。〃


He　sent　for　his　attorney；　made　a　new　will；　and　bequeathed　his　land；　houses；　goods；　and　chattels；　to　Dissolute　Dick　and　his　heirs　forever。


CHAPTER　III。


The　sorrowful　widow　was　so　fond　of　her　little　Henry；　and　the　uncertainty　of　life　was　so　burnt　into　her　now；　that　she　could　hardly　bear　him　out　of　her　sight。　　Yet　her　love　was　of　the　true　maternal　stamp；　not　childish　and　self…indulgent。　　She　kept　him　from　school；　for　fear　he　should　be　brought　home　dead　to　her；　but　she　gave　her　own　mind　with　zeal　to　educate　him。　　Nor　was　she　unqualified。　　If　she　had　less　learning　than　school…masters；　she　knew　better　how　to　communicate　what　she　did　know　to　a　budding　mind。　　She　taught　him　to　read　fluently；　and　to　write　beautifully；　and　she　coaxed　him；　as　only　a　woman　can；　over　the　dry　elements　of　music　and　arithmetic。　　She　also　taught　him　dancing　and　deportment；　and　to　sew　on　a　button。　　He　was　a　quick　boy　at　nearly　everything；　but；　when　he　was　fourteen；　his　true　genius　went　ahead　of　his　mere　talents；　he　showed　a　heaven…born　gift　forcarving　in　wood。　　This　pleased　Joseph　Little　hugely；　and　he　fostered　it　judiciously。

The　boy　worked；　and　thought；　and　in　time　arrived　at　such　delicacies　of　execution；　he　became　discontented　with　the　humdrum　tools　then　current。　　〃Then　learn　to　make　your　own；　boy；〃　cried　Joseph　Little；　joyfully；　and　so　initiated　him　into　the　whole　mystery　of　hardening；　forging；　grinding；　handle…making；　and　cutlery：　and　Henry；　young　and　enthusiastic；　took　his　turn　at　them　all　in　right　down　earnest。

At　twenty；　he　had　sold　many　a　piece　of　delicate　carving；　and　could　make　graving…tools　incomparably　superior　to　any　he　could　buy；　and；　for　his　age；　was　an　accomplished　mechanic。

Joseph　Little　went　the　way　of　all　flesh。

They　mourned　and　missed　him；　and；　at　Henry's　earnest　request；　his　mother　disposed　of　the　plant；　and　went　with　him　to　London。

Then　the　battle　of　life　began。　　He　was　a　long　time　out　of　employment；　and　they　both　lived　on　his　mother's　little　fortune。

But　Henry　was　never　idle。　　He　set　up　a　little　forge　hard　by；　and　worked　at　it　by　day；　and　at　night　he　would　often　sit　carving；　while　his　mother　read　to　him；　and　said　he；　〃Mother；　I'll　never　rest　till　I　can　carve　the　bloom　upon　a　plum。〃

Not　to　dwell　on　the　process；　the　final　result　was　this。　　He　rose　at　last　to　eminence　as　a　carver：　but　as　an　inventor　and　forger　of　carving　tools　he　had　no　rival　in　England。

Having　with　great　labor；　patience；　and　skill；　completed　a　masterpiece　of　carving　（there　were　plums　with　the　bloom　on；　and　other　incredibles）；　and　also　a　set　of　carving…tools　equally　exquisite　in　their　way；　he　got　a　popular　tradesman　to　exhibit　both　the　work　and　the　tools　in　his　window；　on　a　huge　silver　salver。

The　thing　made　a　good　deal　of　noise　in　the　trade；　and　drew　many　spectators　to　the　shop　window。

One　day　Mr。　Cheetham；　a　master…cutler；　stood　in　admiration　before　the　tools；　and　saw　his　way　to　coin　the　workman。

This　Cheetham　was　an　able　man；　and　said　to　himself；　〃I'll　nail　him　for　Hillsborough；　directly。　　London　mustn't　have　a　hand　that　can　beat　us　at　anything　in　our　line。〃

He　found　Henry　out；　and　offered　him　constant　employment；　as　a　forger　and　cutler　of　carving…tools；　at　L4　per　week。

Henry's　black　eyes　sparkled；　but　he　restrained　himself。　　〃That's　to　be　thought　of。　　I　must　speak　to　my　old　lady。　　She　is　not　at　home　just　now。〃

He　did　speak　to　her；　and　she　put　her　two　hands　together　and　said；　〃Hillsborough！　　Oh　Henry！〃　and　the　tears　stood　in　her　eyes　directly。

〃Well；　don't　fret；〃　said　he：　〃it　is　only　saying　no。〃

So　when　Mr。　Cheetham　called　again　for　the　reply；　Henry　declined；　with　thanks。　　On　this；　Mr。　Cheetham　never　moved；　but　smiled；　and　offered　him　L6　per　week；　and　his　journey　free。

Henry　went　into　another　room；　and　argued　the　matter。　　〃Come；　mother；　he　is　up　to　L6　a　week　now；　and　that　is　every　shilling　I'm　worth；　and；　when　I　get　an　apprentice；　it　will　be　L9　clear　to　us。〃

〃The　sight　of　the　place！〃　objected　Mrs。　Little；　hiding　her　face　in　her　hands