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I "t JH' ftjabmtnin Maimkkuk
JOHN MANESTY,
THE LIVERPOOL MERCHANT.
BY
THE LATE WILLIAM MAGINN, LL.D.
WITH
JrlluStrattonS i)j> ^coigc Ci'uifesljanfe*
IN TWO VOLUMES.
VOL. II.
LONDON:
•JOHN MORTIMER, ADELAIDE STREET,
TRAFALGAR SQUARE.
1844.
CONTENTS OF VOL. II.
CHAPTER XVI.
Page
Commercial law and the law of arrest — Robin's sharp
practice, and Manesty's atonement 1
CHAPTER XVII.
A witness rises up against Manesty — The progress of
suspicion — Oglethorpe's cunning overmatched by
Ozias' 29
CHAPTER XVIII.
Ozias and Manesty — The suspected merchant's indig-
nation and alarm 61
CHAPTER XIX.
The confession 97
CHAPTER XX.
In which a new character appears on the scene . . 127
CHAPTER XXI.
Hugh Manesty's submission, and its consequences^ . 143
54
IV CONTENTS.
CHAPTER XXII.
Page
Hugh and Mary — The Earl of Silverstick is exhibited
in a new light 151
CHAPTER XXIII.
Shewing how Manesty took his precautions — His
search after Hugh — And what ensued on his in-
terview with Lawyer Varnham 169
CHAPTER XXIV.
The meeting at Wavertree — What happened then and
there 195
CHAPTER XXV.
Death of Colonel Stanley — A man's enemy may
lament his fall more than a friend — Chesterfieldian
morals — The Moravian — Hugh in custody . .211
CHAPTER XXVI.
Lawyer Varnham's perfidy, and its results — Mrs.
Yarington and Mary Stanley 225
CHAPTER XXVII.
The flight and pursuit — The encounter 247
CHAPTER XXVIII.
The party at Wolsterholme — The old oak cabinet —
Mrs. Yarington's recital — A surprise .... 265
CHAPTER XXIX.
Conclusion , 293
JOHN MANE STY.
CHAPTER XVI.
COMMERCIAL LAW AND THE LAW OF ARREST —
ROBIN'S SHARP PRACTICE, AND MANESTY's
ATONEMENT.
"We have already seen that the most zealous
of the elders of Seal-street had some calls
upon his attention far more urgent than
anything relative to the state of slavery in
Africa. He was practically taught that a
man-snapping trade existed nearer home,
VOL. II. li
2 JOHN MANESTY.
to which his wandering philanthropy had
never paid any attention ; and that it was
put into execution by a class of men whom
cowardice, not conscience, prevents from
being engaged in direct piracy or absolute
highway robbery. Shuckleborough, irritated
to the last degree at the intolerable insolence
of Habergam in daring to say a word re-
specting the affairs of a man to whom he
was in debt, and not unfairly annoyed that
any one should give the slightest attention
to a story at once so calumnious and absurd,
especially one who was on familiar terms
with his master, and who must have known
the utter impossibility of the monstrous
tale, attended with his account, which
reached no small sum, most carefully and
scientifically drawn up, at Habakkuk's
JOHN MANESTY. 6
office at eight o'clock on Monday morning.
With a grave courtesy, which it cost him
much trouble to assume, and had been in
a great measure acquired by many sedative
whiffs of tobacco, he presented the paper
exhibiting the fatal balance.
" If it be convenient to Mr. Habergam,"
he said, " to discharge in the course of the
forenoon, we should feel it as an obliga-
tion."
" Are thee not coming before the time
promised, friend Robin?" said the alarmed
corn-factor. " I thought thee had told me
I should have had further time on these
unfortunate bills of Brown, Badger, and
Co., which have done me so much mis-
chief."
" Unfortunate they may well be called,
b2
4 JOHN MANESTY.
Mr. Habergam," returned Shuckleborougli ;
"but, in my mind, more unfortunate to
those who have already paid the money
upon tlicm than to those who have received
it, and as yet have paid nothing. But you
need not be alarmed, Mr. Habergam, about
them. We promised to overhold them
three months, and so we will — there are
still three weeks and five days to run. If
you look over the account, you will find
it relates to far different transactions, of
which, of course, you are well aware. Look
it over at your leisure — I am sure it is
perfectly correct. I must wish you good
morning for the present, because business
presses ; but I shall be here again punctually
at ten o'clock, Mr. Habergam."
With a most ceremonious bow, which by
JOHN MANESTY. o
no means inspired satisfaction in the breast
of him to whom it was devoted, Robin left
the coiinting-house, leaving its master to
go to breakfast with what appetite he might.
Habergam scrutinized the accounts with a
professional eye, though, before he com-
menced the examination, he was well aware
that no hole was to be found in the book-
keeping armour of their over-complimentary
calculator.
While thus engaged, a formal and prim
messenger, despatched from the meeting-
house, came to remind him that it was now
nine o'clock, and that the members who had
appointed to assemble there on the business
of which he knew were already met, and
that the brethren waited but for him. Had
Ilabakkuk been of the profane, his answer
b JOHN MANESTY.
to this inopportune message would have
been, "The brethren be d — d!" But
though the emotion which dictates such
wholesale condemnation of those who dis-
please, swelled as strongly in his bosom as
in that of the most swearing of troopers,
nothing so undevout passed his lips. He
merely groaned, and told the messenger to
inform those who sent him that he was
engaged in unexpected business, and that
he thought the matter was not so pressing
but that it might stand over.
After the disappointed Mercury, whose
curiosity had been strongly excited by the
hopes of picking up ample food for slander,
had departed, Habergam grunted forth
something, as like a curse as possible, upon
his folly in meddling in the matter at all,
JOHN MANESTY. 7
to which he instinctively attributed this
sudden call for the money.
" I may well say," he muttered, " that
it is an unexpected business — and I might
say, too, that it is a most annoying busi-
ness just now. Two thousand eight hun-
dred and forty-seven pounds, odd shillings,
and pence ; and if I have six hundred and
fifty available in the house, it is as much
as I have. However, there is no use in
loitering about it. Shuckleborough is as
punctual as an hour-glass, and I have not
quite the time measured by an hour-glass
to spare "
Revolving in his inmost mind on whom
of his friends he should call to assist him
in his present difficulty, he sallied forth.
It is useless to re-write what has been
<S JOHN MANESTT.
written ii thousand times. He fared as all
money-borrowers, from the days of Tinion.
Those to whom he applied,
" Did answer in a joint and corporate voice,
That now they are at fall, want treasure, cannot
Do what they would, are sorry "
In fact, the scarcity of money, which never
fails to prevail on all such occasions, was
pleaded to the unlucky corn-factor, and he
came back — " no richer in return."
He had indeed raised a couple of hun-
dred pounds, but his absence had raised a
devil which made that two hundred pounds
of no value. He had not returned until
half-past ten, and thereby missed Robin,
who was exact to a moment. His clerks
told him that Mr. Shuckleborough was
JOHN MANESTY.
very cross, and slightingly adding that he
would return at eleven, when he trusted he
would not be trifled with any longer. If
poor Habakkuk had been waiting for him,
it would have made little difference; but
Shuckleborough would have been deprived
of a pretext for a more copious discharge
of that bile which had been burning within
him since the day before. At eleven, he
returned, " with countenance severe."
" Mr. Habergam," said he, " you must
think my time of little worth, else you
would not waste it in the manner which
you have done this morning ; but as arguing
about that, Mr. Habergam, will not tend
to the recovery of my hours, let us go to
business at once. Have you looked over,
b3
10 JOHN MANESTY.
Mr. Habergam, the account I left you, and
found it correct?"
" Perfectly," said Habakkuk ; "I had no
doubt of that."
" All, then, that remains, Mr. Habergam,
is to settle it. I have the receipts and
vouchers all ready in my pocket." And
suiting the action to the word, he produced
them. " Two thousand eight hundred and
forty-seven pounds, seventeen shillings, and
two-pence. If it is any convenience to you,
Mr. Habergam, we shall let the small money
stand over, and take as on the present ac-
count, two thousand eight hundred."
" Why, truly," said Habergam, " friend
Robin "
" My name, sir," interrupted the clerk,
with haughty indignation, "is Robert! /
JOHN MANESTY. 11
was christened, Mr. Habergam, in the
manner of a Christian country — not named,
like some people, as a dog ; and as to my
being your friend, sir — it is perfectly new
to me how the friendship has sprung
up between us ! Let us go on to busi-
ness."
" Then, Robert Shuckleborough," said
the corn-factor, in whom what he would
call the Old Adam was working strong to
knock down a man, whom for more than
twenty years of commercial life he had
looked upon as not much better than a
menial; "the truth is, that 1 have not got
the whole sum."
" I thought so, by !" said Robin,
with an oath. " Well, what have you to
offer, my good man?"
12 JOHN MANESTY.
" I have just now about nine hundred
pounds, which I can pay up at once."
" So far, so good. But for the remaining
nineteen hundred, how do you propose to
arrange ?"
" I could give you bills, which have only
a few days to run, to the tune of about
eleven hundred pounds."
" Bills ! — shew them to me," said Shuckle-
borough, with infinite scorn. " Bills — .any,
I suppose ; Brown, Badger, and Co.'s affairs.
Bills, my good man, must be taken from
you with considerable caution."
" The bills," said Habergam, roused, in
spite of his circumstances, to anger, " are
as good as the bank. Ask of any bankers
in Liverpool. I'll discount them myself at
live per cent, this moment."
JOHN MANESTY. 13
" Hardly, now, my good man," replied
Shuckleborough — " hardly. I have planted
the bills we held of you in every banking-
house in Liverpool, cautioning them not to
proceed until the time we promised to over-
hold has expired, and then to act on their
own judgment."
Habergam looked aghast, but said not a
word, as he had handed over the bills, well
knowing that they were destined to be con-
demned.
"Ay, I thought so — a precious lot!
Broadbrim, Bam, and Co. ; Humphrey
Ham ; Fox and Levi, — ay, that is not fox
and goose; Mark and Mincing — yes, we
know that firm well; Hildebrand Stanley,
— what, Sir Hildebrand?"
" Yes."
14 JOHN MANESTY.
"For two hundred and fifty pounds!
Why, you know a bill of Sir Hildebrand's
is not worth two hundred and fifty pence,
which, I suppose, is as much as you gave
him for it ; yet this is the only bill of the
lot for which I would give you five shillings.
Here, I'll buy this of you at double the
price, no matter what that be, of the money
you gave Sir Hildebrand. I'll cash it for
you at once out of my own resources. To
what amount have you swindled the gentle-
man?"
" Swindled !" said Habergam. " Mr.
Eobert Shuckleborough, you have been con-
vivial at an early hour this morning, else
you would not dare use such language to
me. The bill came into my hands "
" I am tired," said Shuckleborough, " of
JOHN MANESTY. 15
listening to this cheating and fraudulent
stuff. It is of no consequence how the bill
came into your hands — you will find it
something of more importance to ascertain
how it is that you came into our hands."
He whistled, and a pair of uncouth
ruffians appeared at the preconcerted signal.
" This is the man," continued Robin,
" the defendant in the case of Shackleford
v. Habergam, (Robin had taken care that
his master's name should not appear in the
transaction.) Do your duty, Oliver Ogle-
thorpe."
" It aint a pleasant duty," said Oliver — ■
grinning, however, at the same time, in
hideous delight; " but, Habakkuk Haber-
gam, here's the writ — here's the original.
Come, my old trump, time's precious — we
16 JOHN MANESTY.
must tramp at once. Put on your castor.
We'll wait for that, for we aint unreason-
able."
"What!" said llabergam, greatly asto-
nished, and feeling the insult and injury
still more deeply as they were inflicted in
presence of some half-score of stupified
clerks — " do you mean to say that I am
arrested?"
" I do mean that thing," said Oliver
Oglethorpe, " and no mistake. Pay the
sum marked on the back of the writ, with
the fees, and, in course, the thing is at an
end ; if not, in course, you must go with us."
" In course," said his attendant, a gentle-
man who rejoiced in the nickname of Measly
Mott.
" But," said Habakkuk, much alarmed at
JOHN MANESTY. 17
the serious turn things were now taking,
" must this be done at once?"
" Certainly," said Oliver Oglethorpe,
" unless this good gentleman what brought
us here gives a discharge to the writ, — I
see he shakes his head, so that is no go, —
or you bail."
" Mr. Shuckleborough," said Habergam,
" this is a most outrageous proceeding !"
" No, it aint," said Oliver ; " there's
nothing in it but what's regular. I defy
the chancellor of the duchy to say that
there's a bit wrong !"
Ilabakkuk did not heed the interruption.
" I must send for John Manesty, for I know
Mr. Shacklcford is only one of his brokers,
and ask him if he has sanctioned such con-
duct."
18 JOHN MANESTY.
" Manesty han't nothing to do with it,"
said Oglethorpe. " I know no more about
him than I do of the ghost of Clegg Hall.
Come, old chap, do not waste no more of
our precious minutes."
"At all events, my good man," said
Robin, " Mr. Manesty, whom you are taking
the liberty of calling John Manesty, as if he
were your footman, cannot interfere now.
He left town immediately after quitting
your synagogue for his estate at Wolster-
holme, and will not return until the day
after to-morrow. On Friday last, he gave
me several accounts of shaky people, in-
cluding yours, my good man, and told me
to gather them in as I could ; so I passed the
transaction over to Mr. Shackleford, and
he has instructed these gentlemen to act."
JOHN MANESTY. 19
There was a prodigious quantity of the
thing that is not in this statement of Robin ;
but his victim was in no condition to repel it.
" Give me, then, until his return. Why,
Oglethorpe, I have known you since you
were not much more than a boy."
" And employed me, too. Do you re-
member ? But no matter, we are wasting
time."
" There's my wife and her three beauteous
babbies at home," said Measly Mott, " a-
waiting for the return of a husband and a
father from the doing of his duty as an
officer on service."
" Well, then," said the subdued corn-
factor, " as you speak of wife and chil-
dren, let me see mine before you drag me
away."
20 JOHN MANESTY.
" Come, Habakkuk, my old buck," re-
turned Oglethorpe, " that's too good ! Drag
you away ; you'll walk quiet enough without
dragging. The frau and kinchen, if they
want you, will find you easily enough in
Church-lane."
" I can raise the money by the sacrifice
of goods, of five times the amount, in the
course of the day ; but an arrest will be my
ruin."
" There must be an end of all things,"
said Robin, taking out a silver watch the
size of a coach-wheel from the enormous
flap of his waistcoat. " It is perfectly use-
less, Mr. Habergam, to talk to me — the law
must have its course. Good morning to
you. I hope I have not been the cause of
keeping you from any pleasant entertain-
JOHN MANESTY. 21
ment, at which you were engaged to be first
fiddle."
He departed to spread through Liverpool
and its vicinity the news that Habergam
was in gaol, and the officials of the palati-
nate lost no time in consigning him to his
ultimate destination, after taking care to
draw from him as much of his ready money
as they thought he had a disposition to part
with.
All this may be very wrong or very right ;
but if any one thinks that in this scene
Robin, who is a favourite friend of ours,
behaved like a tyrant, we beg them to re-
member that he was sensible of a wrong,
judge in his own cause, and conscious of
power. Whether this is precisely the kind
of tribunal which it is wise or desirable to
22 JOHN MANESTY.
erect, is .1 question to be discussed in other
pages than these. Habakkuk, at all events,
had sufficient leisure to inquire, whether
that charity which exports itself abroad
may not be very contracted in its concerns
at home.
Manesty's return to his office, in spite of
Robin's bouncings, took place nearly about
the same time that Habergam had been
arrested. No mention of that circumstance
was made to him, nor did he make any in-
quiry which led to it. The day passed over
in Pool-lane with its usual quietude, and
those who had heard of the rumour spread
by drunken Blazes only laughed at it. On
inquiring after that worthy gentleman, it
was found that he occupied his Sunday
evening in getting more and more drunk ;
JOHN MANESTY. 23
and that when he had brought that business
towards a very perfect state of completion,
he had, contrary to the advice and remon-
strances of every one connected with the ad-
ministration of the tap, staggered out, utter-
ing incoherent oaths. During the evening
he had been very troublesome; he called
every man of anything like a decent appear-
ance a pirate, and swore that he knew them
on the coast of Africa. In particular, he
could identify, and so could the crew of the
ship Juno, now lying at Gravesend, the
greasy lubbers whom he had met in the
psalm-shop. He knew them all well, and
could hang them all up, — indeed, for that
matter, he could hang half Liverpool ; and
if he could not hang the other half, he well
knew they richly deserved it.
24 JOHN MANESTY.
After wanting to fight with every one in
the room, he departed in disgust. He had
no kit, nothing but what lie wore about
him ; he had paid honestly for all he called
for, and had foolishly thrown about some
pieces of gold and silver ; and of him nothing
more was known at the Blackamoor's Arms.
The landlord said he was sorry such a fellow
had come into his house, and sorry, too, that
he left it in such a state. " I think," said
he, " he has tumbled into the river, and is
drowned."
In eight or ten days the surmise of the
landlord proved to be true : a body almost
decomposed was washed up under St. Ni-
cholas' church, the dress and other indica-
tions of which proved it to be that of Blazes.
Nothing was found about him except some
JOHN MANESTY. 25
foreign coins, doubloons, dollars, &c, amount-
ing in value to some ten or twelve pounds.
No marks of violence appeared upon his
person, and the only conclusion that the
coroner's inquest could come to, was that of
"found drowned." Those, of course, who
had entertained any suspicion that Manesty
was connected with the business charged
against him by the deceased, had their sus-
picions strengthened by the mode of his
death ; they had not been weakened by the
arrest of Habergam.
But that was all over now. Two or
three days had elapsed after he had been
removed from the den of Oglethorpe, where,
of course, he was most unmercifully fleeced,
to the prison of the palatinate, Lancaster
Castle, before Manesty was informed of the
VOL. II. C
26 JOHN MANESTY.
occurrence. lie strongly rebuked Robin,
and sent an instant discharge, with a letter
of the most kindly apology. The thing had
occurred in his temporary absence, and Mr.
Shuckleborough had quite mistaken instruc-
tions which he had given a few days before.
It was certain that a sudden pressure had
come upon the house, and he had directed
that some strictness should be used to obtain
outstanding monies of long date ; but it had
never entered his head that any one should
have been exposed to the inconveniences of
arrest, to which he or his father before him
had never resorted in any instance during a
commercial course of nearly half-a-century,
and which, above all things, he deeply re-
gretted should be employed in the case of
Habakkuk Habergam, with whom he had
JOHN MANESTY. 27
been so long knit in brotherly love. As
for the transactions which unhappily gave
occasion for this unlucky mistake, he begged
that nothing should be thought of them
until payment was perfectly convenient, no
matter at how distant a date; and as for
the bills of Brown, Badger, and Co., he had
taken them out of his office to throw them
into his own private desk, there to remain
until Habakkuk himself asked for them.
Nothing could be fairer or more hand-
some ; and if the poor corn-factor emerged
from prison with blasted credit and crippled
resources, spirits broken and his self-import-
ance humiliated, to become a bankrupt in
three months, and an inmate of the grave
in three more, no one could in the slightest
degree impute those catastrophes to Mr.
C2
28 JOHN MANESTV.
Manesty, who had generously flung his bills
into the lire, sorrowfully attended the funeral,
and headed a subscription for his family with
the liberal donation of 100/.
JOHN MANESTY. 29
CHAPTER XVII.
A WITNESS RISES Ur AGAINST MANESTY THE PRO-
GRESS of suspicion — Oglethorpe's cunning
OVERMATCHED BY OZIAs'.
Diccon, the potboy at the Blackamoor's
Arms, was a gentleman of that degree of
intellect generally displayed in his county
and his calling by persons of his degree, —
that is to say, he was principally to be dis-
tinguished from a hog by the number of
his legs. The fact of the sailor having
30 JOHN MANESTY.
been at the house where he performed his
functions, and the melancholy catastrophe
which followed, had a great effect upon his
mind, (or what served as such,) and so
deranged the ordinary visions cf pots and
pipes, which usually haunted it, that he
could not talk of anything else for months.
Diccon was the hero of the tap, and related
the tale three or four times every evening.
To be sure, he had not much to tell;
nothing, in fact, more than that a drunken
and abusive sailor had spent an evening in
the house, out of which he staggered, and
was, some time afterwards, cast up by the
Mersey, drowned. To this, time added a
few embellishments, not due to Diccon's
imagination, a quality in which he did not
shine, but to the various suggestions of his
JOHN MANESTY. 31
auditors, from time to time, whose contri-
butions being thankfully accepted, by de-
grees swelled the story into a tale of terror.
Among his hearers, one evening, was an
errand boy belonging to a neighbouring
butcher — a boy of some twelve or thirteen
years of age, and just as intelligent as
Diccon himself. All on a sudden a thought
seemed to strike this ingenuous youth.
" Wasn't that the sailor, Diccon," he
asked in his native dialect, which we have
already declined attempting, "that had
three of the fingers of his left hand cut
off?"
Diccon, after much scratching of his
head, was inclined to think that such was
the case, but his memory was somewhat
like the shifting sands of his native Mersey,
■•
2 JOHN MANESTY.
into which, when anything is absorbed, it
rarely re-appears. The nymph who per-
formed multifarious and miscellaneous duties
in all departments of the hostel, had, how-
ever, a sharper recollection. The sailor, in
an amorous moment, had clasped her waist
with his left arm, and as she pushed it
away in a fit of indignant chastity, she had
particularly observed the mutilated hand.
She did not state that she had a more
special reason for noticing it, which was,
that in a moment after the repulse, the
remaining finger and thumb had fished out
a guinea from' the capacious pockets of its
owner, which gave the said arm full liberty
to resume its position with more advantage
than before. There was testimony sufficient
without it to establish that Blazes' left hand
JOHN MANESTY. 33
had suffered one of the usual casualties of
his profession ; and Sukey did not, perhaps,
see the necessity of wasting evidence.
"When Tummas O'Nobs-o- Chops found
that his suspicion, which had never before
occurred to him, was correct, he was in a
sad taking. He turned as pale as the rich
thick coating of crease and dirt which was
solidly plastered on his face would permit,
and in an agony of terror, exclaimed,
" Lord, save us ! they cannot hang me for
it, can they?"
The company looked aghast at this self-
inculpatory exclamation of the butcher's
boy, and set him down at once as the mur-
derer: for of the sailor's being murdered,
not one among them now doubted. Sukey
declared that she could never abide the
c3
34 JOHN MANESTY.
boy, for he had the gallows in his looks —
a discovery never made till this moment,
and the same conclusion was come to by
the rest of the party, half-a-dozen of whom
at once speedily secured the unlucky Tum-
mas, by grasping him by the collar with
such hearty good-will, as almost to shake
him out of his clothes.
A great ferment was, of course, imme-
diately excited throughout the house, and
it soon caught the attention of Mr. Oliver
Oglethorpe, who was drinking in the bar-
parlour with the landlord's wife and daugh-
ter- — he rum, rather slightly diluted with
water ; they tea, not so slightly diluted
with rum. His professional eye soon saw
a chance that his exertions might by some
means, which he did not stop to scrutinize,
JOHN MANESTY. 35
turn up to profit; and accordingly, Oliver
lost no time in proceeding to the scene of
capture, where he found Tummas half-dead
with terror. All present knew Oglethorpe,
and to him it was unanimously agreed that
the sifting of the evidence should be com-
mitted. The butcher's boy fell down on
his knees before him, and begged for mercy,
bellowing like a bull-calf.
" Do not be alarmed at me," said Oliver,
with much magnanimity; "I am your best
friend here. I feel that I am sitting as
a judge; and, as I heard Mr. Justice Vul-
ture say at the last assizes, 'a judge is
always counsel for the prisoner.' "
And to say the truth, Oliver acted in
the capacity about as earnestly and sin-
cerely as ninety-nine out of every hundred
36 JOHN MANESTY.
of the ermined gentlemen who liavc pro-
mulgated the dictum from the bench — that
is to say, he laboured hard to have him
hanged. Paper, pens, ink, were soon pro-
vided, assisted by which, and a replenished
tumbler, Mr. Oglethorpe proceeded on his
examination.
" You have confessed, it seems, that you
murdered the sailor, called Blazes, whom
you identify by his want of three fingers,
by flinging him into the Mersey, where he
was drowned. Is it not so?"
" Yes, sir," said Tummas ; " it is true
enough. He was drowned, sure as death,
in the Mersey, and he had no more than a
fmger and a thumb on his left hand ; but
I did not know at the time his name was
Blazes."
JOHN MANESTY. 37
" That's not material, as Chief Baron Sir
Benjamin Blunderbuss of the 'Chequer, says,
when he does not want to read an affidavit.
What could have induced you to commit
this horrid crime?"
" I did not know 'twas hanging matter,
sir," said the trembling Tummas; "and
thoiurht there was no harm in it, sir."
" There's a blood-thirsty young war-
ment!" said Sukey.
" It is a crime by common law," said
Oliver, " and also by statute made hanging
by the 55th of Edward the Sixth, and the
29th of Anne, chapter — no matter what.
But, young man, you must know it was
hanging matter. Bid not you see Whelock,
and Jones, hanged last year for it?"
" That was for throwing a child into the
38 JOHN MANESTY.
fire, sir," said Tummas, "not a man into
the water."
"It makes no difference," said Oliver,
solemnly, "so that the man is murdered,
whether it is by fire or water. What
o'clock did this take place?"
" About half-past ten, sir," said Tummas.
" Yes, Tummas," said Diccon, " I'll bear
thee out in that. It was just as I was
going to put up the chain, which I do
every night, exactly on the half hour ; but
I didn't see thee with him."
" No, Diccon," said Tummas, " I was
not there a minute, and thee was in the
yard."
" Do you mean then to say, that it took
up such a short time," asked Oliver, inhal-
ing a pinch of snuff, " to commit the mur-
der?"
JOHN MANESTY. 39
" I never committed no murder," howled
Tummas, in despair; "it aint a murder to
call a man out of a public-house. Is it,
sir?"
" That is as it may be," answered Oliver.
" For what purpose did you call him out?"
"For no purpose," replied Tummas; "it
were for a sixpence."
" You do not mean to say that you mur-
dered the man for such a sum as a sixpence?
I am sure," said Oliver, with much indigna-
tion, " I'd scorn murdering any man for such
a trifle" — a sentiment, the generosity of
which excited much approbation throughout
the room.
"I murdered him for nothing at all,"
said Tummas.
"Good God!" exclaimed Oglethorpe,
40 JOHN MANESTY.
roused to much indignation. " Murder
a man for nothing! I'd be ashamed of
myself to confess anything so low. It's
enough to make one sick."
" It was because I did not murder him
nohow!" cried Tummas. "Another sailor,
almost as drunk as the man himself, met
me a going into this here house. ' I'll give
thee sixpence, younker,' says he to me, c if
thce'll call out that sailor I see sitting in
the window — him as is making all that gal-
lows row; he's an old shipmate of mine.
Tell him, Mr. Dick, of the Dutchman,
wants him.' So I went in, and I said
what I was bid ; and he jumped up like a
cock when he heard the name, and he said
that he was a damned good fellow, who he
knew would come, in spite of all nonsense
JOHN MANESTY. 41
between them ; and then though everybody
wanted him to stay, he wouldn't. He said
lie was going to see a man that could buy
and sell them all. So he went out, after
paying his shot."
" Yes, I can bear Tummas out in that,"
interrupted Diccon; "he paid his shot, sure
enough, five times over. He would force
it upon me, though I did not want for to
take it," an assertion heard with consider-
able incredulity by the audience.
" And when he saw the other, they shook
hands fifty times over, and were like bro-
thers. I heard them say that they'd go
somewhere to drink down the unkind words
they had in the morning. The one that
came out of the house called the other
1 commodore,' and wanted to douse his hat
42 JOHN MANESTY.
to him, but the sailor that sent me would
not let him. They went off together along
the quay, and as God is my judge, there's
all I knows about it ; and it is hard to be
hanged, and I so young, for that," blub-
bered forth Tummas, with deep energy of
lamentation.
"Don't bellow, you brat," said Oliver,
not at all pleased at seeing his anticipated
prey fast slipping through his fingers.
" Did you ever see the strange sailor before
or since?"
" Never, Mr. Oglethorpe — never," an-
swered Tummas; " if it weren't next morn,
as I was a-going, about three o'clock, to
master's cellar, in Mud-lane, about the
slaughtering of some sheep; and then, I
am almost sure, I saw him going up into
JOHN MANESTY. 43
the yard at the back of the great corn-
store opposite; but he was precious sober
then, which could not be if he were a
drinking all the night with the other — and
fine and drunk too, when they went off
together ; and I did not notice him coming
out."
"Whose corn-store is that?" asked
Oliver, with much curiosity.
" I am sure I don't know," said Tummas.
" I never axed."
" Why, I thought every fool in Liver-
pool knowed it belongs to John Manesty,"
exclaimed Diccon; "he was one of the
people that Blazes, when he was drunk,
was blowing up as a pirate."
" What sort of a looking man was the
strange sailor?" inquired Oglethorpe, still
more eagerly.
44 JOHN MANESTY.
" lie was dressed like any other sailor,"
said Tummas. " lie was a tall, big, stout
chap; but nothing particular."
" You would know him again, perhaps ?"
said Oliver, with increasing earnestness.
" Yes," was the answer, " I think I
would ; for a ship's light flashed full in his
face as he walked away, and I saw him
well."
" Any mark on his face?"
" No — no mark. Ho ! what am I say-
ing? there is a mark, sure enough. He
has a swinging cut across his forehead. I
saw him point it to the other, and they
both laughed. Now, your worship, there's
the truth, and sure you wont hang me."
" Not for this," said Oliver, rubbing his
hands, and chuckling with ineffable delight.
JOHN MANESTT. 45
" Some other matter will in all probability
turn up ; but take care to be forthcoming
in the morning. Bring my coat and hat,
Sukey, I must go home."
The delighted Tummas was emancipated,
and the equally delighted Oliver wended on
his way.
(t Hallo !" said he, " isn't this a game !
It's too late to do anything to-night; and
besides, I have not yet got at the case as
I wish. It was on the very day that I
nabbed Habergam at his suit; and I re-
member Ilabergam at our crib dropping
some hints about fear of exposure being at
the bottom of the arrest. I knew well
enough that it was all gammon about Ma-
nesty's being out of town. I think it's
like that old Shuckleborough is at the
46 JOHN MANESTY.
' Dolphin,' and if he is, I know that he
has drunk quite enough to make him easy
to be pumped. It will cut well either way.
If I hang him, there's my forty pounds
reward ; if not, in such a case as this, hush-
money is twenty times the value of blood-
money; and I do not want to harm any
man, if I get more by letting it alone.
Ha, ha, ha ! I'm almost ready to burst my
sides a-laughing to think that these are the
capers of Solid John."
With the most mirthful emotions, he
entered the "Dolphin," where, as he ex-
pected, he found Shuckleborough ; but in
the present instance, the tables were turned ;
and instead of the official pumping the
clerk, the contrary was the case. The
happy prospect before him caused Ogle-
JOHN MANESTY. 47
thorpe, who had been drinking all day, to
indulge in such liberal potations, that he
was completely fuddled before Robin had
reached half way towards that state of
felicity. Instead, therefore, of gaining any-
thing by the meeting, in the way of in-
formation, his tipsy questioning was so
unskilfully conducted, as to arouse the
suspicions of Robin that something was
brewing against his master. Even in
drunkenness Oglethorpe retained a suffi-
cient quantity of professional caution not
to drop a particle of the evidence he had
just acquired; but there was something in
his hints, and still more in his manner, to
excite very painful sensations in the faith-
ful retainer of the house of Manesty and
Co. In a short time, he took his de-
48 JOHN MANESTY.
parture, leaving two pipes of his regular
quantity unsmokcd.
Proceeding homeward, not at all at ease,
he met Ozias Bheincnberger, returning from
a late hymn meeting, and to him, in the
fulness of his heart, he told what had oc-
curred. The Moravian gravely shook his
head, and said nothing more than that he
would see John in the morning. They
parted in a few minutes, and Shuckle-
borough gained his bed, puzzled with
doubts, and annoyed by apprehensions,
neither of which could he bring before his
mind in any definite form.
" He's a deep old file, that .Robin," said
Oglethorpe, ruminating as he emerged from
the "Dolphin," "but I'll shape it without
him. I'll have it all right to-morrow, as
JOHN MANESTY. 49
straight as a nail. As for that Jack-the-
Giant-Killer story of his being Hoskins the
pirate — pooh ! that's all rubbish — but that
you, John Manesty, — you, Solid John, mur-
dered Blazes, I have no more doubt than
that my name is Oliver Oglethorpe."
Pleased with this conviction, he retired
to his couch, there to dream of captions and
executions, until the arrival of the morning,
dispelling these visions of the night, called
him up to turn them into the realities of
the day. He carefully perused the notes
which he had made at the " Blackamoor's
Arms," and felt more and more certain
that his suspicions were right.
"God!" said he, with a chuckle of de-
light, " this is something — one of the first
VOL. II. D
50 JOIIN MANESTY.
men on 'Change. Active officer — inflexible
duty — not to be daunted by influence — not
to be bought by money — aint I, though?"
continued he, putting his finger on his nose
— " we'll try that on first. But, 'faith !
the rum was too strong of the water last
night ; and these notes are not the clearest.
I must go and find the boy again ; and that
soon, for fear anybody else should pick him
up. The people who were there last night
were stupid blockheads; but everybody
aint stupid in Liverpool, I guess. If my
friend Measly was to get wind of this,
wouldn't he be into it, as a hot knife into a
pound of butter."
With these motives for activity, he was
not long in despatching breakfast, and
sallying forth on his expedition. As he
JOHN MANESTY. 51
proceeded, he thought he might as well have
what he called a squint at the corn-store, in
Mud-lane, into which the sailor had va-
nished ; and on arriving there, he saw that,
besides the general back entrances, there
was a small door in one of the outhouses,
above which, in the next floor, some feet to
its right (none stood immediately over it),
was a window, similar to that of a parlour.
Careless observers might not have suspected
that there existed between this window and
the door, so far removed from each other,
that connexion which the quick eye of Ogle-
thorpe at once rightly conjectured to exist.
A few pints of beer distributed among the
stupid draymen and porters, and other
loiterers in the yard, obtained for him the
information that they could not tell any-
D2
52 JOHN MANESTY.
tiling about this door; that none of them
had ever seen it open ; that as for the win-
dow, it was that of the room which old Mr.
Ilibblethwaite had used as his office; that
since his death, it was little more than a
lumber-room, rarely entered by any one ;
that the only way to go to it was through
the front of the building; and that it was
morally impossible it could be got at
through the rear.
Oglethorpe winked knowingly on hearing
this last piece of intelligence; and after
learning, in fact, that the draymen and
their companions knew nothing of the pre-
mises on which they spent half their lives,
or of the concerns hourly going on before
their eyes, further than the business of
their own drays or carts, cast upon them
JOHN MANESTY. 53
a smile of compassionate benevolence and
departed.
" No communication with that 'ere room
from that 'ere door/' thought he. " Say
ye so, my joskins? Well, how one man
differs from another ! Here's a lot of muffs
as has spent all their days in that yard—
and I never entered it . till this precious
morning — and in half-an-hour I know more
of its windings than them. Pretty spoons !
they've less sense than their dray horses,
and their brains are thicker than their
own cotton packs. But there's no use of
being proud. 'Tisn't every one that's
fit "
The self-gratulatory sentence was cut
short by his arrival at the " Blackamoor's
Arms," whither he speedily summoned the
54< JOHN MANESTY.
butcher's boy. Tummas came, considerably
relieved of the apprehensions of the pre-
ceding evening, and repeated, over a glass
of ale, his story, without any considerable
variation or addition. The only fresh par-
ticular Oglethorpe could glean was, that
the strange sailor was much older than
Blazes ; that he was, he should think, as old
as master, about half a hundred ; and that
he believed his hair was grey, but would
not be sure.
Oglethorpe gave the boy sixpence, and
told him to be in the way to-morrow, when
he would ask him to come and see a gentle-
man who might do good to them all. Cau-
tioning Tummas with much solemnity to
keep a still tongue in his head, as there was
no knowing what a scrape he might get
JOHN MANESTY. 55
into, if the story should reach the ears of
the judges, he went away, muttering half
aloud — " All's right as a die. Now if I
could get into that corn-store "
To avoid suspicion that he had any secret
object in view, Oglethorpe met the boy in
the common tap-room open to everybody.
He knew that at ten o'clock in the morning
there was little chance of sailors being
absent from their vessels, and they were the
only class of persons whom the story would
interest. The clodpoles from the country —
drovers, wagoners, carters, and others of
the same class would, he knew, be the only
guests, and they would be too much engaged
in discussing the interesting affairs of the
morning market over their beer and bacon
to listen to the conversations of any one
56 JOHN MANESTY.
else. Besides, he depended upon their
assured and undoubted stupidity to protect
him from their comprehending his drift,
even if attracted by the story. As for the
boy himself, he knew that he could easily
frighten him into silence, as he effectually
did by his hint of the judges — awful per-
sonages in the eyes of such people as Tum-
mas, whose very wigs are endowed with
supernatural powers — which revived in a
great measure the hempen terrors which
had originally agitated him.
The company was precisely of the kind
anticipated by Oliver, and their attention
was occupied as he had expected. One
man, who had entered the tap-room a few
minutes after him, and took his seat not far
from the same table, was the only person of
JOHN MANESTT. 57
a different cast. The bailiff gave him a
sharp and scrutinizing glance, which satis-
fied him there was no cause of alarm in that
quarter. He was a mean-featured, poorly
clad, quiet little man, apparently a humble
clerk in a mercantile house, for he immedi-
ately took out of his pockets what Ogle-
thorpe ascertained to be an order-book, two
or three invoices, half-a-dozen accounts, and
a ready -reckoner, and fell to work upon
them with paper and pencil. Immersed in
these, as he sipped a bowl of coffee, as ad-
mirable in quality as Jamaica ever pro-
duced, and as abominable in preparation as
the handmaiden of the " Blackamoor's
Arms" could perpetrate, he seemed to have
lost all consideration of everything else in
the world; and Oglethorpe, convinced that
D o
58 JOHN MANESTY.
bis cars were closed to all around, paid him
no further attention.
He was much mistaken, however. The
silent and abstracted accountant had not
merely heard, but absolutely drunk in every
syllable of the conversation. It was, in
fact, Ozias Rheinenberger, who, alarmed by
the tenour of Shuckleborough's communica-
tion, had determined to keep his eye upon
the movements of Oglethorpe during the
day, and had followed him at a distance
from the moment he left his house. He
had hoped, that by tracking him wherever
he went, he might obtain some clue to dis-
cover what was the meaning of his obscure
hints, dropped on the previous night.
Little did he expect what it was his lot to
hear — the information he obtained was far
JOHN MANESTY. 59
more copious than lie could have antici-
pated — and, alas ! beyond all power of cal-
culation, far more afflicting to his soul than
his worst fears had ever suggested. Long-
trained command of countenance prevented
any betrayal of his feelings. As he eagerly
listened, he not merely feigned to work, but
actually did work at the figures, which
would have occupied him at home; and
when, methodically, he paid for his coffee,
and rose to follow Oglethorpe, whose desti-
nation he knew was directed towards the
corn-store, in Mud-lane, nobody would have
known that anything beyond the ready-
reckoner had engaged his meditations.
Oliver took the expected course; and
Ozias, having seen him prying about the
yard, went to his own counting-house, and
HO JOHN MANESTY.
hastened to his private apartment. He
was there alone. He buried his face in his
handkerchief, burst into tears, and ex-
claimed, " Oh ! my brother."
JOHN MANESTY, 61
CHAPTER XVIII.
OZIAS AND MANESTY — THE SUSPECTED MERCHANT'S
INDIGNATION AND ALARM.
Ere long the fit passed over, and lie was on
his way to Manesty's office. He found him
there occupied as usual, and was greeted
with the wonted grave welcome.
" I would be alone with thee," said Ozias.
" See thou to the Scripture which is written
in the second verse of the nineteenth chap-
ter of the first book of Samuel."
02 JOUN MANESTY.
Manesty, well used to such style of con-
versation, opened, without any surprise, the
Bible, which always lay upon his desk, and
soon found the passage referred to. In
spite of his command of feature, a cloud
visibly came over his countenance, as he
read the ominous verse. It is the warning
of Jonathan to David : —
" But Jonathan, Saul's son, delighted
much in David ; and Jonathan told David,
saying, ' Saul, my father, seeketh to kill
thee : now, therefore, I pray thee, take heed
to thyself until the morning, and abide in
a secret place, and hide thyself.' "
"What means this?" asked Manesty,
with perfect composure. " Come into my
private room. Speak out," continued he,
on arriving there — "no one can hear.
What does this mean?"
JOHN MANESTY. 63
Something seemed to choke the utterance
of Ozias, for he remained in silence. He
had again recourse to the Bible, and pointed
out to Manesty the second verse of the
seventh chapter of Micah : —
" The good man is perished out of the
earth; and there is none upright among
men; they all lie in wait for blood; they
hunt every man his brother with a net."
" Truce with this nonsense," said Manesty,
pushing the sacred volume aside with far
more impatience than it was his wont to
display, especially when that book was in
question. "Nonsense, I say," continued
he, checking himself, " for even the holiest
things may so be used, and so intruded out
of place, as to transfer to themselves some
portion of the slight which is due to him
who intrudes them. Speak, man, whatever
64 JOIIN MANESTY.
you have to say. Speak it out, Ozias —
speak it out in the name of the Lord!"
" As I am so adjured," replied the Mora*
vian, " I will speak. I have come to talk
to thee about the sailor, who was found
drowned six months ago."
" What ! are not people done with him
yet?" said Manesty, somewhat peevishly.
" I thought all that was settled long since."
" I did not think that all was settled,"
said Ozias; "but be it so. All, at least,
appeared to be settled in the eyes of man.
Thy name was coupled with that of the
sailor."
"Absurd!" cried Manesty. "No voice
dared lift itself to accuse me of anything so
atrocious as being concerned in his death."
" No voice was lifted up. Hath no voice
JOHN MANESTY. 65
spoken, not being lifted up? But be it so.
It was known that this man had heavily
accused thee, and borne the accusation
before the elders. That it was proposed
to look into the root of the matter on the
next day, and that the morning found the
sailor vanished, never more to be seen until
the waters cast him up a corpse. Nor was
it forgotten that he who proposed the in-
vestigation, in a spirit of brotherly love
towards thee and thy good name, was
seized at thy suit at the very moment it
was to have been made, and thrown into
bondage. And it was thought, too, that
the hasty despatching of the 'Juno' to the
coast of Africa, with mariners on board,
who, he said, could confirm his testimony,
was an act of precaution, not of accident."
6Q JOHN MANESTY.
"And it is thought, I suppose, now,"
said Manesty, " that while I am sitting in
Pool-lane, I am personally directing the
brigandage and freebooting which yester-
day's advices inform us is going forward on
that same coast. Nobody regretted the
disappearance of this drunken Eabshakeh
more than I did. I was sorry to find that
any one could have been so absurd, any
brother Christian so uncharitable, as to
impute to me crimes which all Liverpool,
I may say all the mercantile world, knew
it to be physically impossible I could have
committed ; and the exposure of the false-
hood of this fellow's ravings, though cer-
tainly not at all necessary to the clearing
of my character, would have done me the
service of checking, if not envious thoughts,
JOHN MANESTY. 67
yet spiteful tongues. That he was drowned,
it is true. Is that an unusual occurrence,
or one to be wondered at, when we consider
the drunken and reckless habits of our mer-
cantile sailors? Here," said he, taking up
a newspaper — " here we have, in the Cou-
rant of last Saturday, accounts of no less
than four of them found drowned, just as
this Blazes was — all of them proved to have
sallied forth, as he did, in a state of intoxi-
cation from the low public-houses on the
quays. The wonder is, that such accidents,
as they are called, do not occur in a tenfold
proportion. And if any of those poor men
who perished through their own folly and
intemperance last week had, while that self-
imposed madness to which they owed their
death, been raging upon them, insulted, as
68 JOnN MANESTY.
it is very likely they did, persons of wealth
or station, is it just or reasonable, consistent
with common sense or common Christianity,
to impute their fate to the men against
whom they had loosed their unruly tongues?"
" It would not," said Ozias. " It would
be very much at variance with justice,
reason, sense, and Christian feeling. And
be it so. But "
" As for the brig ' Juno/ I know nothing
about her," said the now somewhat excited
merchant. " Perhaps the fellow who spoke
knew no more, and flung out the first name
of an African vessel that occurred to his
maudlin memory at random. But I did
inquire about her, nevertheless ; and I found
that on the very day before this Mr. Blazes
was blurting his impertinent nonsense she
JOHN MANESTY. 69
had been purchased by the house of Bolt,
Shackell, and Co., of Fetter-lane, London,
and by them freighted in a few days, and
sent to her original destination. I have no
connexion, as you are well aware, with that
firm. The few accidental dealings we have
had together in the course of business were,
anything but friendly ; and unless I was en-
dowed with the gift of prophecy, as it seems
I am suspected of being possessed of that of
ubiquity, how could I have had anything to
do with a transaction, the most material
part ok which was over before this trumpery
accusation was made, and the whole busi-
ness, in all probability, concluded before
any advices from Liverpool, arising out of
the affair, could have reached Gravesend ?"
"It may be so," said Ozias, who had
70 JOHN MANESTY.
listened attentively ; " and be it so !
But "
" Pardon me for a moment, Rheinen-
berger," interrupted Manesty, " and I am
done. As for Habergam, you know I had,
in reality, nothing more to do with his case
than to regret the arrest and to cancel the
debt. It all arose from the zeal of Robin,
excited to anger against the poor man by
what he had heard from you. He took ad-
vantage of my momentary absence, and en-
gaged Shackleford to sue on some obligations
which I had passed to him, in the ordinary
way of business, and on which I should not
have dreamt of proceeding if a shilling's
worth of them had never been liquidated.
The heavy bills which I had in my own
desk were not proceeded upon, because
JOHN MANESTY. 71
Shuckleborougk would not have dared to
take such a liberty as to use my name in any
such transaction ; and when I came back I
released poor Habakkuk at once, gave him
fresh credits, and never, to the day of his
death, pressed him for a farthing. My books
shew that I am a loser by him, to the
amount of 5000/. and more. There are
not many merchants in Liverpool, or any-
where else, Ozias, as you well know, who
would have acted towards Habergam, or
others in his situation, as I did. I mention
this, not out of vainglory, or for the carnal
seeking of men's praise. God forbid ! But
I have not yet so conquered the old man
within me as not to feel it hard that what
to others would be imputed as of merit,
should be, in my case, set down as matter to
72 JOHN MANESTY.
swell dark and degrading suspicion. I
really thought I was not to have heard
another word about the thing."
" It may not be so," said Ozias — " thou
must hear more — much more. What thou
hast said is well of sound; and for myself, I
endeavoured to dismiss the charge from my
thoughts, and resolved to keep it from pass-
ing my lips. What I endeavoured, I could
not always do. What I resolved, I have
done to the present hour. Now I must
speak, and for thy sake, John, would that
my tongue had any other office!"
He then detailed, in his own style, the
story with which our readers are already
familiar, and the manner in which he had
obtained it. The beguiling of the drunken
man from the place where he had taken up
q
JOHN MANESTY. 76
his quarters for the night, by sending in the
name of the pirate with whom he had in all
probability sailed, to which an instant obe-
dience was given — -the ready recognition of
the stranger as the person with whom he
had identified Manesty — the reference to a
quarrel in the morning — the assumption of
drunkenness, which shewed that the whole
character was assumed — his retreat into the
corn-store — his personal appearance, middle
age, grey hair, tall, stout figure, the scar on
his forehead, — all seemed to point out the
man. Manesty heard Ozias to the end
attentively, but quite at ease.
" Is this all?" he said, composedly, when
the Moravian ceased to speak. " Now,
Kheinenberger, I should be ungrateful in-
deed if I did not feel infinitely obliged to
VOL. II. E
74 JOHN MANESTY.
you for the trouble you have taken, and the
interest you display. It may be fitting, too,
that I should be on my guard against that
bloodhound Oglethorpe, who does not value
an oath at a straw. But is not this a very
slight and silly collection of evidence ? Are
there no sailors of my size, and frame, and
years, to be found in Liverpool ? Is a scar
on the brow, or a grizzled head, a thing to
be wondered at? What is there remarkable
in a man skulking into my open yard to
sleep off, peradventure, his inebriety ? And
what reliance can be placed on the powers of
observation of this butcher's boy, whom you
describe as stupid and doltish? Had not
the former piece of absurd slander reached
your ears, you would not have applied any
part of this pot-house conversation to me."
JOHN MANESTY. 75
" Would that those ears had been closed
with grave wax," said Ozias, " before they
had heard it ! Would, too, that if others
should hear it, thou wilt find an audience as
unwilling of belief as I ! But be it so. Be
warned, nevertheless. 'Vainly is the net
spread in the sight of any bird.' So let it
be with thee."
" I shall take sufficient care," said Ma-
nesty. " Have you told me all?"
" All. Nay, I omitted to say that, as I
followed Oglethorpe, I saw him enter thy
corn-store, in the lane ; and after prying all
about, he took some of thy people into the
next door alehouse, and gave them some-
thing to drink. I do not know what con-
versation he had with them, because I feared
being discovered if I entered the house, the
e 2
7G JOHN MANESTY.
master of which, though now among the
most sinful of backsliders, was formerly
one of the united brethren. I suspect,
however, it was somewhat connected with
the store, for as they returned one by one,
I noticed that each pointed to a door and a
window on the right-hand side."
" A door and a window?" asked Manesty,
quickly. " What right-hand side ? — as you
go in from the lane?"
"Yes," said Ozias; "and even now, a
quarter of an hour before I came to thee, I
saw Oglethorpe meddling about the same
door, and pushing at it, as if he desired to
push it open."
"The devil he was!" said Manesty,
rising in the extremest haste, and ringing
the bell with so much violence as to snap
JOHN MANESTY. 77
the rope. " I am damned, but this must
be attended to I"
Paying no attention to the looks of Ozias,
which were aghast in horror when he heard
such unaccustomed sounds, Manesty ordered
the servant, who was in immediate attend-
ance, to send for Mr. Shuckleborough at
once.
" Let him come," said his impatient em-
ployer, " without delay, leaving off what-
ever he may be doing. Here is business
indeed ! I be — - — "
" John," said Ozias, " is this the lan-
guage of a Christian ?"
"Is it the language of the . Here,
Robin," said he, as Shuckleborough hur-
riedly entered, "go to the lane, and open
Mr. ll.'s door with this key; see that every-
78 JOHN MANESTY.
thing is right there — that the padlocks of
the chests are not disturbed, and that the
door by the window is secure. There is a
large picture against it. I have my reasons
for wishing all things right there. And if
you see Mr. Oglethorpe hovering round,
turn him off the premises in any manner
you think best; and take care to let our
people about the corn-store know that I
positively forbid them, on pain of imme-
diate discharge, to hold the slightest com-
munication with him, or anybody like him.
Go at once, Robin. Go, man — go — go this
moment!"
There was no need of a second bidding.
Shuckleborough immediately departed, and
Manestyand Rheinenberger were again alone.
"It is enough," said the Moravian,
JOHN MANESTY. 79
mournfully. " I need no more. How is
the faithful city become a harlot; it was
full of judgment — righteousness lodged in
it; but now " and he hesitated.
" Murderers !" said Manesty, fiercely ;
" finish the quotation from Isaiah without
scruple. Why should you not speak what
I see you think?"
" I cannot control my thoughts," replied
Ozias ; " but I can control my speech. If
my thoughts should be wrong, great would
be my joy. But if I see not altogether
astray, not to me will be left the final judg-
ment, so far as anything on this earth can
be called final ; of the judgment above, it is
presumptuous to think."
" Cut the matter, then, short at once,"
said Manesty, " and answer bluntly a blunt
80 JOHN MANESTY.
question. Do you, or do you not, think
that I murdered this young man, Blazes?"
" My thoughts," returned Rheinenberger,
in a tremulous voice, " do lie that way.
May the Lord "
" May the Lord give you something like
common sense! Leave to me the task of
justifying myself before a human tribunal,
if brought to answer charges supported by
evidence not sufficient to hang a dog.
Were I, in reality, afraid of anything of the
kind you hint at — why butchers' boys are
neither incorruptible nor immortal."
A fearful thought flashed across the mind
of Ozias. "More guilt," thought he—
"more blood!" But the expression of his
sentiments,' 1 if he meditated any, was
broken off by the entrance of Shuckle-
JOHN MANESTT. 81
borough, who had lost no time in executing
so welcome a commission as that of bullying
a bum.
" Here, sir," said he, " is the key of
Mr. II. 's room. God bless my heart, but I
felt an all-overness when I went into it. It
is near ten years since I was there before;
and I looked to where the old gentleman
used to sit for near thirty years, never
missing a day except the Sabbath. I
almost expected to see his little sharp, cun-
ning face, peering, through his shagreen
rimmed spectacles over the books, and the
everlasting shake of his silvery head. Ah !
what a different head has the family of
Hibblethwaite now ; or rather, I should say
tail, not head, for poor Dick has long been
dragging through the mire."
E •>
82 JOHN MANESTY.
"Are the chests safe?" asked Manesty,
who was by no means anxious to hear
any more of his clerk's reminiscences.
" Quite, sir," replied Shuckleborough,
" as safe as locks and padlocks can make
them. They are good strong sea-chests,
too. I do not remember that they used to
be in the room in old Mr. H.'s time."
" And the door by the window?"
"Bolted and double -bolted; locked and
double-locked. 'Gad ! it struck me, too,
that I had not seen that door in former
times. When was it "
Manesty, who had no intention of satisfy-
ing Shuckleborough's curiosity by taking
any notice of his fishing questions, merely
asked him if he had seen Oglethorpe.
" Yes," said the clerk, with much exul-
JOHN MANESTY. 83
4
tation. " I saw the vagabond, sure enough,
and he felt me ; for I kicked him out of the
yard."
Shuckleborough did not hint that this
act, which he certainly performed, was not
a deed of a very desperate valour, as he
had at his immediate command fifty stout
draymen, and other aides-de-camp, who
would have speedily reduced Oliver to a
mummy, had he offered the slightest resist-
ance to their chef d'etat major.
" He was pimping about the old door of
the old lumber-house, which has not been
opened, God knows when ; and when I
caught him, he was kicking at it with all his
might, as if he had a wish to kick down
the crazy old concern — and I do not think
it would take much to do that. ' So,' says
84 JOHN MANESTY.
I to him, ' Hallo ! you fellow, Oglethorpe,
what are you after? Aiut you eonteut to
be a bum, without turning burglar as well.
Kick for kick is fair play at football,' says
I; so I gave him one that he wont forget in
a hurry.
" Well, he talked a great deal of imper-
tinence, and threatened an action ; at which
I snapped my fingers. ' An action for
what ?' says I ; ' for kicking off the premises
a varmint I caught in the fact of trying
to break open one of my master's doors.'
" ' Well,' says he, with all the impudence
in the world, ' maybe I wont demean myself
to stoop to such rubbish as you — I'll be
after your master ; and maybe, when next
I come to break open that door, I'll use the
crowbar of the law.'
JOHN MANESTY. 85
u i
I tell you what, my man,' says I, ' do
you see that sack of corn weighing up to
the top-loft of the store? — now, when it
comes down again, if I find your ugly face
about the yard, I'll take care that it will not
return the next time loaded with a sack of
corn, which is a good and valuable thing
for beast and man, but with the dirty car-
case of Mr. Oliver Oglethorpe, which is
neither ii"ood for man nor beast — and that
will give him a taste of what dangling on a
rope is, to season him against he comes to
the gallows.'
" ' If you talk of the gallows,' says he,
'you had better look nearer home.'
" So I could not bear this any longer ;
and I beckoned to Geordie o' Bobs — they
call him Greesly Geordie in the yard. And
86 JOHN MANESTY.
lie came running up at once; and when
Oglethorpe saw him stretching out his arms
to catcli and hoist him, which he would
have done as easy as a cat would shake a
mouse, he sheered off in a minute. But
the vagabond did keep lurking about,
nevertheless, whatever he wanted; because
I met him just this minute, and he said he
had seen me through Mr. H.'s window, and
that he knew what brought me there, and
he would be soon there after me. I cannot
make out what the blackguard means."
" It is of very little consequence," said
Manesty, who had been thoughtfully silent
during his head clerk's rigmarole narrative.
" You have done what I wished, and you
may now look after the business of the
office."
JOHN MANESTY. 87
Ozias also had preserved a profound
silence, but his thoughts lay in a far dif-
ferent direction from those of his compa-
nion. When Shuckleborough had left the
room, he lost not a moment in speaking.
"My soul," said he, "had been com-
muning, John, with the Lord; and I have
wrestled with him for thee in silent prayer.
If thy hand in the death of this young man
nay, keep thy temper, my brother !
I am not thy judge, nor am I to set myself
in the seat of the accuser — I speak to thee
as if thou wert my brother indeed, the son
of mine own mother. Seest thou not in
what a net thou art enmeshed — a net hard
to unwind from, if thine innocency were as
spotless as are the wings of a dove — and to
that (which will, I plainly see, soon be thy
88 JOHN MANESTY.
most pressing temporal concern) thou must
needfully look. In that, I doubt not, thou art
better of counsel than I ; perhaps, however,
one less interested than thyself might more
coolly advise — but be it so. But, John, in
my silence, sad visions came over my
thoughts of what is of deeper import than
the judgment, just or unjust, the vengeance,
swift or slow-footed, of man — sad visions
came over my thoughts of thy soul's estate.
Shake this world from off thy heart, on
which it sits with so heavy a weight ; and
if bloodguiltiness "
"Nay, Ozias," said Manesty, "I have
heard all this before, and have no need of
turning my counting-house into a conven-
ticle. If I were to reply to thee in the
same strain of canting rubbish, have I not
JOHN MANESTY. 89
an answer ready at hand? Are you not a
predestinarian? Do you not know that all
my course of life, and all thy course of life
— the course of life of all the sons and
daughters of man, was laid down from the
beginning of things; that we are strictly
bound children of what the pagans called
Fate, or Necessity, or, as our Scriptures
figuratively express the same doctrine, by
saying that we are vessels of clay in the
hands of the potter? Is not this the faith
held by your founder, Zinzendorf, and tes-
tified to in all the churches of the Unitas
Fratrum?"
"It is sad to hear these sacred things
profaned to such uses," said Ozias, with a
sigh. " The holy Count pryed not into
the secrets of the Lord, and did not pretend
90 JOHN MANESTY.
that he was in his councils ; neither does the
church in which thou wast reared — that
which is called of England. Wisely does
its seventeenth article caution men against
the over-curious consideration of such sub-
jects; and too truly does it predict that it
will lead the carnal-minded to despair, or
recklessness of living. Hath it not done so
with thee?"
" I rather think not," said Maiiesty, with
a sneer. " My manner of life is orderly
and decorous, and it will take some spell
more potent than anything which nurse or
priest has taught, to drive me to despair.
Nay, one of the most gifted of the preachers,
even he who is known by the name of Ami-
nadab the Ancient, assured me that I was
one of the elect ; and that, therefore, being
JOHN MANESTY. 91
in a state of grace from which I could not
fall, I never could lapse into sin ; or that if
I did, salvation was rather the surer, as
God would thereby be able to manifest the
absoluteness of his power in raising a sinner
to glory."
Tears stood in the eyes of the deeply-
shocked Moravian.
" Thou art lost," he said, mournfully;
"thou art lost, my brother! Sooner
would I have heard from thy lips the oaths
and execrations which they lately uttered
than this. They are a lesser profanation;
but this is hopeless indeed. That Aminadab
well knoweth the letter of the Scriptures, is
true — the spirit of the Scriptures, I fear
me, hath never been vouchsafed unto him.
And that I have often heard him powerful
92 JOHN MANESTY.
ill prayer, and eloquent in exhortation, is
also true. But the power of his prayers is
that of fear, not love ; he looks in the face
of the Almighty to find there frowns, not
smiles; and his eloquence is that of rage
and threatenings, as if he were the blood-
dipped headsman of an avenging, not the
white-robed minister of a comforting God;
as if it were his mission to dispense the
wine of the wrath of the Lord, not those
contents of that blessed cup which were
shed for the salvation of all. Poor worm !
and is it he who can sit as a judge upon
election and reprobation ? Is his the right
hand on which he is to range the sheep,
and the left hand for the goats? How
knoweth he that thou art elect? From
what storehouse doth he draw out indul-
JOHN MANESTY. 93
gences for sin? Weak is the reed on which
thou leanest. Alas ! my brother, the enemy
hath hold of thee, and thou art lost in*
deed !"
" So be it, then," said Manesty, rising
impatiently; " there has been quite enough
of this twaddle of theology for one morning.
Have you anything further to say to me ?"
a Yerj little. I came in peace, and I
part in peace ; and words of reproach thou
wilt never hear from me. What has passed
in this chamber this morning will never
escape my lips. My suspicions or surmises
may be groundless, but I thought it fitting
to tell thee what might be of great concern-
ment. Come what will, my power is weak,
but such as it is, be it at thy command here
and elsewhere. If it were meet that thou
94 JOHN MANESTY.
shouldst wander abroad, and abandon the
pursuits of commerce — nay, be not impa-
tient — I can place thee with a godly bro-
therhood in Connecticut, where, remote
from temptation and annoyance, thy life
may glide smoothly away in penitence (and
the best among us hath many a stain upon
his soul) and in usefulness, among pious
prayers, and the sweet harmonies of peace-
inspiring hymns. May God be thy guide !
I shall never forget whose was the hand,
which, when I staggered on the brink of
ruin, saved me from the precipice; nor,
when my wife and children all but wanted
bread, whose was the hand by which it was
supplied. Fare-thee-well."
" I suppose," said Manesty, stepping after
him with unruffled brow into the outer
JOHN MANESTY. 95
office — " I suppose, Kheinenberger, we shall
meet, by and by, on 'Change?"
But the Moravian answered him not, and
departed.
JOnN MANESTY. 97
CHAPTER XIX.
THE CONFESSION.
Manesty speedily returned to his room,
there to ruminate alone on what he had
heard. Strange to say, his first impulse
was to laugh aloud.
" Poor Ozias, how he must have been
shocked ! The killing of Blazes was of
course, in his eyes, matter of less enormity
than the old seaman hahit of rapping out
an oath, which I could not repress myself
VOL. II. F
98 JOIIN MANESTY.
from using on the instant. Far less were
all the enormities of Iloskins than the scoffs,
which even he must have perceived I was
flinging upon the dearest gods of his idolatry.
I feel myself relieved of a load, as was the
Sailor Sinbad, when he flung off from his
shoulders the galling oppression of the Old
Man of the Sea. It was to come sooner or
later, and I am glad that I have broken the
ice with llheinenberger. Why should I tie
myself down to this wearying life of dull
drudgery — this sickening and hypocritical
assumption of a character for which, per-
haps, there never was any need; but for
which there is now assuredly none whatever.
I shall put an end to it to-day. This pry-
ing impertinence of Oglethorpe is beyond
doubt, a contretemps, which just now I
JOHN MANESTY. 99
should wish had not occurred. Pish ! what
matter — it is a twenty or a fifty pound affair
at most to smother. It will soon stench
itself out. If anything be annoying in the
investigations, which may arise, I can easily
retire for a moment. A week ago, I an-
nounced on 'Change that I was again bound,
at this my usual time, for the West Indies ;
— when I return, who will think of this
folly. When I return ! Is that ever to be ?
Perhaps not. Sometimes I am weak enough
to believe that omens and portents are
gathering round me, and that my career is
coming to its close. And a face haunts me
with a look of puzzling remembrance. Is
it because I — pooh! was that the only
one?"
He " pished," and "poohed," with much
f2
100 JOHN MANESTY.
vehemence ; but did not seem by such means
to recover his equanimity.
" It is all nonsense," said he, at last; " I
have business of more moment to attend to.
I must go to old Ilibblethwaitc's room, and
see if there is anything there that ought to
be put away. Shuckleborough," said he,
emerging from his private room, and putting
on his coat, " go to Weston, and tell my
attorney, Varnham, to wait for me at home
all day — the hour of my calling on him will
be uncertain ; but let him be in the way,
whatever it may be."
He left the counting-house, and Robin
never saw him more ! He was fond of tell-
ing, in the few remaining years of his life,
that he had never before noticed Master
John so much elated — that his figure seemed
JOHN MANESTY. 101
to swell — his tall height to be drawn to its
uttermost — his voice as it were to chuckle
with delight — and his eyes to gleam with a
fiery lustre that almost frightened his obse-
quious dependent. He strode out of the
office gaily and flauntingly, and something
like the humming of an air burst upon
Shuckleborough's astonished ear. " In after
days," he said, " he thought him possessed,
and that it boded some ill," adducing
various ad libitum dreams, and other indi-
cations of coming evil. At the time, if the
truth were to be told, he thought that Rhei-
nenberger had communicated to " the go-
vernor" some tidings of good fortune, which
was to be duly ratified and confirmed by his
friend Ezekiel Vamham, whom he compli-
mented in thought as one of the sharpest
102 JOIIN MANESTY.
hands in the duchy, and justly complimented,
too, if the words, " sharp hand," be syno-
nymous with " unscrupulous rogue."
When Manesty gained the room which
was known by the name of his late partner,
he carefully locked himself in, and proceeded
to open and scrupulously examine the chests.
He had ascertained beforehand that the
door, which, in fact, did lead to the lumber-
room below, was secure. He felt certain
that no intruder could break in upon his
privacy, and he bestowed much time, care,
and patience upon the task of examination
and selection, which seemed to be in his
eyes a matter of all-absorbing interest.
While he was thus occupied, a loud and
impetuous knocking was heard at the front
door of the room, to which at first he paid
JOHN MANESTY. 103
no attention whatever, but proceeded silently
on his business. It was, however, more
vehemently repeated ; and on his continuing
not to answer, the voice of his nephew,
tremulous with emotion, reached his ear.
"It is no use, uncle," said Hugh; "I
know you are in the room, and I must, and
will see you."
" I am much occupied now, Hugh," was
the answer, " and do not want to be intruded
upon. In less than an hour, I shall be at
the house in Pool-lane; and then I am at
your service."
" But it is now — now, this moment, sir,
that I want you," said Hugh, in frantic
accents, speaking through the door — " a
moment is not to be lost — it is matter of
life and death."
104 JOHN MANESTY.
" Humph !" muttered Manesty, hastily
gathering up the articles he had taken from
the chests, replacing them with hurried hand,
and again securing them under their pad-
locks. " Some love-caper about the Stanleys,
I presume ; but the sooner I admit him, the
sooner I get rid of him Wait a moment,
Hugh, I shall open the door at once."
He was as good as his word; and on the
instant that the barrier was removed, Hugh
bounded into the apartment. Some unusual
feeling had distorted his tranquil features
into the mingled emotions of bursting rage
and scarcely suppressed grief; and, with an
abruptness which he had never before ven-
tured to assume towards his stern relation,
he rushed into the question at once, which
had driven him to invade his uncle's
privacy.
JOHN MANESTY. 105
" Sir," said he. " I am about to commit
what I know is a crime by the laws of man,
and a sin by the ordinances of God ; but I
must do it — I cannot draw back."
" I may as well relock the door," said
Manesty, " if you intend carrying on a con-
versation which promises to be so ticklish,
in such a voice." He did so, accordingly,
casting a scrutinizing glance upon his
nephew, strongly indicative that he con-
sidered the young man's sanity rather doubt-
ful.
"It is no need, sir," said Hugh; "for
the affair is, or at least speedily will be,
known all over Liverpool and Lancashire.
I have challenged Colonel Stanley to a duel,
and we are to meet in an hour's time, or
rather less, by Wavertree."
f3
10G JOHN MANESTY.
" It is, indeed, most sinful and absurd,"
said Manesty; " but why "
" I have no time, sir, to listen to truisms
which I could utter without prompting. It
must be, and there's an end. The quarrel
is this — I came up with the Stanleys this
morning from Eaglemont, a couple of hours
ago, and we stopped at her cousin's house,
by the new gardens of Toxteth Park. The
colonel does not like me or mine, and he has
insinuated many an underhand insult, which
I pretended not to notice, because — no mat-
ter why. It is no time for concealment
now, uncle; but there is everything but a
solemn engagement of marriage between
Mary Stanley and me "
" Speak not of that," said his uncle; " I
have long known it, and seriously thought
JOHN MANESTY. 107
about it. Of that hereafter. What about
Colonel Stanley ? The young man is deeply
embarrassed, and it may be that I know
where he applied for unreasonable assist-
ance.
" He left us, then, in Toxteth Park, and
in an hour or thereabouts, returned much
chafed at something I know not what. I
had remained with the young lady, and he
rushed into the room, and without regard-
ing her presence, directed the most injurious
language towards me. He said that he had
found out the secret of the wealth of our
house — that it was all the produce of piracy
and murder — that you were nothing more
than a notorious pirate, who took advantage
of your ill-gotten wealth to insult highborn
men to whom you ought nut to aspire to be
108 JOHN MANESTY.
a footman, by casting discredit on their
honour; and that there could be no doubt
that you flung the sailor into the river to
get rid of his testimony."
"And then?"
" And then Miss Stanley, whose ears not
even a rumour of these slanders had reached,
looked at me, and frightened by my angry
looks, I suppose, immediately fainted. I
rang for her servant to take care of her,
and called him out into the lawn, where I
dared him to repeat his words, which he did
with many aggravations of insult. I in-
stantly told him he lied, and he struck me.
In the affray that followed I had not the
worse ; and he was nearly overpowered when
the servants parted us. But still I have
received outrageous affront actually in the
JOIIN MANESTY. 109
presence, and a blow almost in the presence,
certainly with the knowledge, of a lady "
" Whom it seems you love more than
common sense or common reason. Could
you not read the riddle of all this ? George
Stanley has been of late more than usually
unlucky, as these silly fellows call them-
selves, when they run open-mouthed to be
robbed at the betting-stand or gaming*
board ; and I know that he was vainly en-
deavouring to negotiate some desperate
discounts with my broker, Shackleford,
which were peremptorily declined to-day,
and he connects me, somehow, with the re-
fusal. The blow, however, is bad. But
have not you employed our sturdy old Lan-
cashire method of wiping it out already by
vigorously using those arms which nature
has bestowed?"
110 JOHN MAN EST Y.
" I did my best in that way," replied the
nephew ; " but it is not the fit method after
all. And as the colonel is, beyond question,
a first-rate shot, and a capital swordsman,
I cannot with any honour refuse to follow
up the challenge. Why I came to you,
dear uncle, is this. Duels are not always
fatal, and explanations often bring them to
a bloodless conclusion. I thirst not for the
blood of George Stanley — call a dog by that
name, and I should love it — and shall be
found ready to listen to anything pacific
that will not compromise my character as a
gentleman. What terms shall I impose to
make him retract the injurious words — the
abominable insinuations, he addressed to-
wards you? The insult to myself I can
have no difficulty in arranging."
JOIIN MANESTY. Ill
; ' You think, then," said Manesty, look-
ing full in the young man's face, " that
duelling is criminal and sinful, and only to
be justified, or rather to be palliated, by
supposed necessities of each individual
case?"
" Such is my opinion," replied Hugh.
" The justice of the individual case
ought, then," said his uncle, slowly, " to be
a principal element in deciding on what is
to be adduced as palliation or defence?"
" Undoubtedly."
"It is but a shadow of the trial by com-
bat, in the middle ages," continued Manesty ;
" and even in those dark and barbarous days
they supposed that it was necessary to have
truth on the side of him who claimed the
wager of battle. Should it not be so still ?"
112 JOHN MANESTY.
" Of course. I am not so superstitious as
to imagine, that in the old judicial combats
death proved guilt or false accusation against
the defeated champion — or victory vindi-
cated the innocence of the conqueror, or
established the justice of his charge. In
modern duels, we do little more than risk a
life to comply with the etiquette exacted by
the world ; but still it is infinitely disgrace-
ful to maintain a quarrel in any manner,
unless you imagine you have right on your
side. In the case of a fatal result, under
contrary circumstances, I should little envy
the feelings of the survivor. It would be
hard to distinguish his act from a murder."
" Which the law calls it in any case.
Hugh — I wish you not to fight this duel —
I never could worse spare you than now.
JOHN MANESTY. 113
You know not the projects I have in my
mind, nor the variety of struggles I have
made for your advancement in the world —
for realizing your most cherished hopes — ay,
even that which is now most busily throb-
bing in your heart."
" But, uncle, I cannot avoid it," said the
young man, passionately. " I might sub-
mit to an affront directed against my-
self »
" I doubt it much," thought his uncle.
"But when it is directed against you —
you, by whom my unprotected infancy was
reared and cherished — who have loaded me
with kindness, and heaped me with favours —
made me, — me, a poor deserted orphan,
with no claims upon you but such as would
be neglected by nine men out of ten, — a
114 JOHN MANESTY.
participator in your hard-earned wealth, the
fruit of your own toil and talent, your pa-
tience, and your self-denial — and such an
affront, too — why, sir, I should have kennel-
water, not blood in my veins, if I did not
resent it !"
Manesty looked on the handsome and
excited youth with glistening, but not unde-
lighted eyes, as he poured out these ener-
getic words. Some busy feelings appeared
to be at work in his bosom; but he was
silent. Hugh thought he had gained an
advantage ; and as his uncle did not speak,
he proceeded, after a short pause.
" And offered, too, in the presence of a
lady — to be dishonoured in whose eyos is to
me a worse agony than death~-I cannot,
uncle — it must go on."
JOHN MANESTY. 115
" It may be in many ways prevented,"
said Manesty, " without dishonour to either
party. As forme, the words of such a bul-
lying swindler as yon broken blackleg pass
by me as the idle wind. What he has said
affects me not. I can protect myself from
his slanders, if I deem it necessary, in a
way that he will consider more serious than
the pulling of a score of triggers. Take,
therefore, no heed for me. You have spoken
affectionately of my care, dear Hugh. May
not the man, of whom you have thus spoken,
demand that a proof of your affection should
be shewn? If I have been a protector of
your childhood, let me be a protector of
your manhood. You have told me that
George Stanley is a keen shot, — of that I do
not much reck ; for I have known that keen
116 JOHN MANESTY.
shots have not unfrequently missed when
the object before the pistolled poltroon is
not a pistolless partridge. So much for me.
As for the lady, may I not ask you, is not
she trembling this very moment? — would
she not give all that is dearest to her to
prevent this affair from coming to blood?
The man to whom you profess deep obliga-
tion — the woman to whom you are linked,
in what you imagine endless love — both
equally acquit you of all obligation. Fight
not this duel, dear Hugh — leave it to me,
and, if you like, to Miss Stanley, with me
to arrange. Fear not any disgrace from
the result. I know, as you have said, that
George Stanley is master of any weapon,
which he will employ, and that he will
unscrupulously use his skill. And to lose
JOHN MANESTY. 117
you now — oh, God! If we were in — but
no matter. I peremptorily forbid this
duel."
" It is not in your power, uncle," replied
Hugh — " your peremptoriness comes too
late. You, then, will not tell me what I
can say to the colonel, beyond a flat denial
of his insolent slander."
" Stay," returned Manesty; "it is in my
power to stop you, and that effectually.
But before I do it, pause for a moment, and
take my word for it, without inquiry, that
you will find I am right in saying I have
such power. One short sentence of mine
checks this insane quarrel. Do not urge
me to speak it — take my word that I can
do what I say."
" I cannot, dear uncle,— I cannot ! The
118 JOHN MANESTY.
time is rapidly approaching, and I must be
punctual to the minute."
" You compel me, then, to speak," said
Manesty, " that which you will sadly repent
ever having heard. Suppose what Colonel
Stanley said was perfectly true?"
" Is true? Impossible! Do not I, who
have dwelt under your roof — know it to be
impossible?" cried the young man, turning
deadly pale, nevertheless, and sinking upon
one of the sea-chests which stood by the
office-desk. " Good God ! do you mean to
say that you are connected with slavers and
pirates?"
" The contents of that chest, on which
you are sitting, would supply you with
ample information on that point. I am."
" A fearful suspicion has sometimes come
JOHN MANESTY. 119
over my thoughts," replied Hugh, " when
I found our profits so unaccountably in-
creasing, but nothing of this. Am I, then,
to have the misery of being obliged to
ask — if you are in any way identified
with that desperate, who is called Dick
Hoskins ?"
"Identified, indeed!" was the stern and
dogged answer — " for I am the man !"
"Gracious heavens! and the sailor
Blazes "
" Was flung into the river Mersey, by
this hand!" said Manesty, with perfect
composure. " Nay, bury not your face in
your hands, but gather up your senses,
while I proceed in the work, which you
disturbed; and when you have again scraped
them together, it will be time for you to
120 JOHN MANESTY.
think of pursuing this duel, with all its
honourable accompaniments."
Hugh sank into something like a swoon ;
but soon recovered; and found his uncle
quietly writing at his desk.
"Is this mockery or truth?" he gasped
forth, in tones which agony had rendered
almost inarticulate.
" Truth!" returned Manesty. " I have
commanded the ' Bloody Juno,' for the last
three years, personally, as I had done five-
and- twenty years ago. I commanded it
by proxy during all the years of the in-
terval."
" And the dreadful stories — the burning
of the Spaniards alive in the Podesta ?"
" Was an accident — we never intended
it."
JOHN MANESTY. 121
" And the killing of the boat's crew, off
the coast of Brazil ?"
"Was no accident; but they richly de-
served it. There was not a man among
them that did not deserve to be hanged ten
times over."
" And the "
" Do not frighten yourself by pursuing
the catalogue. Many things, quite as bad
as these, were done ; though the worst mat-
ters were done when Tristram Ficnnes com-
manded, and his life was the forfeit. His
crew, tired of his cruelty, murdered him off
Anamaboo, three years ago, when, as nobody
could be trusted to manage a body of des-
peradoes in the mutinous state which fol-
lowed this affair, I was obliged to go myself.
The business of Brooklyn Royal was a mere
VOL. II. G
122 JOIIN MANESTY.
flam — I sold it out and out, on my first trip
across the Atlantic, and never set foot in
Jamaica again."
Hugh was so stupified, that he scarcely
heard what his uncle was saying; but he
well recollected the name of Tristram
Fiennes, and the letter which announced his
death — its agitating effect on Manesty —
and his hasty departure for the West Indies
so speedily following.
" Good heavens !" said he, at last, starting
up, "am I doomed to have such a demon
for an uncle !"
" Does it grieve you, then, that I am
your uncle? If you knew the truth, that
cause of grief would be removed. It has
been an imposture, on my part, all through.
I am not your uncle."
JOHN MANESTY. 123
The eyes of the young man were instantly
flashing with beams of joy.
" You are not my uncle, thou blood-
stained man ! Your deeds towards me have
been such that I can never meditate harm
towards you. But, oh ! what a weight you
have taken off my heart ! God be praised,
I am not of your kin. You are, then, not
my uncle? Say it again."
" I will," said Manesty, laying his hand
upon the youth's shoulder, who recoiled
with horror from the touch. " The truth
must come at last — -I am not your uncle —
I am your father!"
" My father !" exclaimed the frantic young
man — " my father ! Oh, God ! Here, then,
I part with this accursed house and its
g2
124 JOHN MANESTY.
dreadful owner for ever. Is this only a
horrid dream?"
" Not so easily parted as you imagine,"
said Manesty, with perfect coolness. " You
will not kick down that iron door; those
who put up its bolts and stanchions wrought
it not so as to be spurned down with naked
fist or foot. Stay but for a moment. You
will find full particulars of my career, and
your own history in this paper. Put it in
your pocket; and having read it, think
whether you arc to meet George Stanley or
not. I knew that the religious rubbish I
broached was nothing but despicable non-
sense ; but I knew well that I could prevent
the duel by a word. Will you meet him
now ?"
" Open the door, sir, and that's all —
JOHN MAJESTY. 125
all !" exclaimed Hugh. " Let me loose from
this den of horrors. George Stanley is safe
from me."
" I thought so. Of other matters, we'll
talk when you are in calmer mood," said
his father, for so we must now call him,
opening the door, through which his son
rushed, in headlong desperation.
" I must look ahead, in good earnest,"
said Manesty, returning to his desk, after
he had locked the door. " The game will
soon be up ; but I shall take care of him,
nevertheless."
JOHN MAN EST Y. 127
CHAPTER XX.
IN WHICH A NEW CHARACTER APPEARS
ON THE SCENE.
It lias been seen that Mary Stanley fainted,
and was consigned to the care of her ser-
vant, on witnessing her cousin's insulting
conduct to Hugh, and the anger it excited
in the young merchant. She soon, how-
ever, recovered her consciousness, and with
it returned also the energy of her character.
Though her knowledge of the world, like
128 JOHN MANESTY.
that of most other young women, was but
limited, she knew enough to be convinced
that such a quarrel as had taken place
between Colonel Stanley and young Manesty
could have only one termination, the
bare apprehension of which filled her with
intolerable dread, strengthened by a know-
ledge that Hugh had abruptly left the
Colonel's house in great excitement. But to
this terror she would not yield. Nothing
could be gained by inaction. If it were
possible to avert the danger, not a mo-
ment was to be lost — no effort to be
neglected.
But to whom should she apply? Her
father had been present during the outrage
perpetrated by Colonel Stanley, and must
still be in the house. She would send for
JOUN MANJESTY. 120
him, and engage his offices in preventing
any fatal catastrophe; for though she was
aware of his punctilious disposition in what
the world agrees to call " affairs of ho-
nour," she doubted not that her tears
would move him to an effectual inter-
position.
Thinking thus, she sent to beg Sir Hil-
debrand would come to her immediately.
On the servant's return, she learned that the
baronet had left the house a quarter of an
hour previously.
This, at first, seemed like a confirmation
of her worst fear, and a sad tremour of the
heart came over her. She laboured under
a sickening and agonizing idea of the
sudden transition from life, and youth, and
g3
130 JOHN MANESTY.
strength, and the warm gush of the blood,
and the vigorous bounding of the pulse, to
violent extinction. Bitterly would she
have deplored such an awful termination
to her cousin's career, but at this moment
she thought not of him. Her mind was
full of " strange images of death," all of
which were connected with Hugh Manesty,
and with him alone. She beheld him
stretched on the sward, with glazed eyes
and blood-stained garments, or writhing
in intolerable pangs, which nothing but the
termination of life could calm — he, with
whom that very morning she had held
pleasant discourse, brightened by anticipa-
tions of coming years of happiness.
After the first access of these tortures,
she grew a little more calm, especially
JOIIN MANESTY. 131
when the blessed thought crossed her, that
perhaps Sir Hildebrand had gone to Liver-
pool to lay an information before the magis-
trates, with a view of placing both parties
under arrest. Such an act, she thought,
would be worthy of his age, and of his
duty as uncle of Colonel Stanley, to say
nothing of the regard he had always mani-
fested for Hugh.
"Is Colonel Stanley still in the house?"
she inquired of a servant.
" Yes, madam ; he is writing in the
library."
"God be praised!" ejaculated Mary.
" Then all may yet be well. My father
is gone to Liverpool, you say ? Did he see
the colonel previously ? I mean, had they
any conversation together?"
132 JOHN MANESTY.
" I should imagine so, madam," was the
reply; "they had been some time shut up
in the library."
On hearing this, Mary Stanley's agony
returned upon her tenfold. She perceived
at once that it was not likely her cousin
would remain in his house, if he did not
feel certain that Sir Hildebrand had not
departed on an errand of prevention.
What was to be done? Whom could she
consult? She knew not where, on the
instant, to find her friend and relative, the
old earl; and she had no acquaintance in
so mercantile a place as Liverpool. What
was to be done? To remain passively
in Colonel Stanley's house, she felt was
impossible. Yet where could she go with
any hope of averting the evil she dreaded ?
o o
JOHN MANESTY. 13
So great was her bewilderment, and so
torturing her state of suspense, that Miss
Stanley had not perceived the entrance of a
third person. At length, looking around,
her eyes met those of an elderly lady, who
gazed at her attentively.
" Dear Mrs. Yarington !" exclaimed Mary.
" How strange it is that I should not have
thought of sending for you! You, who
came here this morning with us ! Of course,
you have been apprized of all that has hap-
pened an hour or two ago between young
Mr. Manesty and Colonel Stanley? I am
terrified on thinking of the probable con-
sequences. For Heaven's sake, dear Mrs.
Yarington, tell me what steps I can take to
prevent them."
Mrs. Yarington was a widow, rather
134 JOUN MANESTY.
past middle age. On the death of Lady
Stanley, she had been recommended to Sir
Hildebrand as a gentlewoman capable of
superintending his household, and acting
in the place of mother to his daughter.
For these duties, indeed, no one could have
been better calculated than Mrs. Yarington,
who was evidently a person of perfect re-
finement, education, and knowledge of so-
ciety. But her disposition being reserved,
with a slight tincture of haughtiness, she
rarely appeared when visitors were at Eagle-
mont, and was more than usually secluded
whenever Hugh came to the house. This
may account for her not having, till now,
figured in this veritable history.
" I have heard, my dear," said Mrs.
Yarington, " of the fracas between your
JOIIN MANESTY. 135
cousin and the young merchant; and I
participate in your fears as to the re-
sult."
" What, then, can we do to prevent it?"
asked Mary, looking anxiously into the face
of her companion.
" Nothing," coldly replied Mrs. Yaring-
ton. " The time for interference has passed,
if, indeed, interference with such hot-brained
young men would ever have been practicable.
From what I overheard your father say,
when he passed out of Colonel Stanley's
library, I am convinced his errand was to
find what duellists call ' a friend,' meaning
1 a second' for the encounter. I am truly
grieved, dear Miss Stanley, that I can give
you no better comfort."
" And is it possible," ejaculated the poor
13G JOHN MANESTY.
girl, " that my father can have so hard
a heart as to encourage this savage
affair?"
" Heart !" echoed Mrs. Yarington.
"Heart! Men of honour have no hearts.
With them, pride tramples down humanity.
Father, mother, sisters, wife, and children,
are all sacrificed to the nonsense of a sup-
posed necessity ; or, in other words, to the
idol, self."
" Heaven forgive them for the miseries
they inflict!" "exclaimed Mary.
" So I pray," returned the widow. " That
these two young men will meet, T have not
the slightest doubt. The colonel is rash
and vindictive; and as to Hugh," she
continued, drawing herself up proudly,
u The blood in his veins is as good as Stan-
JOHN MANESTY. 137
ley's ; and nothing on earth will tempt him
to brook an insult, except he should deem
himself to be in the wrong. I know the
cause of the quarrel. Poor Hugh, perhaps,
may be in an error ; but of this, I see not
how he is to be convinced."
These words were even as a riddle to
Miss Stanley. Her father, indeed, was not
altogether ignorant of the genealogy of
young Manesty ; but it did not suit him
to communicate what he knew to his
daughter.
Alary was surprised at what had fallen
from Mrs. Yarington. She looked inquir-
ingly into her face, saying, " Your words
perplex me. What do you know of Hugh,
whom you have scarcely ever seen until
this morning, though now you hint at some
138 JOHN MANESTY.
mystery connected with his life? Tell me,
I beseech you !"
" Not now — not now," hurriedly replied
Mrs. Yarington. " A time may come
when what I have to say may more fitly be
heard. Meanwhile, restrain your impa-
tience."
" I will try to do so," cried Miss Stanley;
" but I cannot control my fear. Let us
endeavour, dearest Mrs. Yarington, to pre-
vent this dreadful encounter. Come with
me to Liverpool. Something may yet be
done."
"Our efforts would be unavailing," re-
turned the widow. " Colonel Stanley is no
longer in this house. He rode out at the
gate just as I came to you. Young Manesty
will be punctual in such an affair. The
JOHN MANESTY. 139
colonel, I doubt not, will find him already
in the field."
" But," gasped Mary, " could we not go
at once to the merchant himself ? He has
great influence with the authorities in
Liverpool; and if parties of constables
were sent in different directions, the thing
may yet be stopped. Let us go to the
merchant."
" What !" exclaimed Mrs. Yarington, with
a shudder. " To John Manesty? Not for
worlds would I stand one instant in the
presence of that man ! Come, Miss Stanley,
this is no house for us. It is fit that we
return to Eaglemont."
With these words she conducted the de-
spairing and bewildered girl to her carriage.
To one less heart-stricken than Mary Stan-
140 JOIIN MANESTY.
ley, the beauty of the day was capable of
inspiring thoughts of happiness. " The all-
beholding sun" cast broad beams of light
against the carriage-windows ; and, as the
branches of those trees which here and
there studded the road, moved in a soft
western wind, their dancing leaves reflected
merrily, like diminutive mirrors of green
glass, the glow that fell upon them. Alas,
all this radiance was as a mockery to Mary
Stanley ! In the morning, seated by Hugh's
side, she had revelled in the sunny glory :
now it came as an impertinent contrast to
the dark wretchedness of her thoughts.
She closed her eyes, not being able to
endure " the insolent light." Mrs. Ya-
rington did not offer to the poor girl a
single syllable of consolation ; but, in per-
JOHN MANESTY. 141
feet silence and abstraction, leaned buck
in the carriage as if she were its only
occupant.
In this way, the companions returned to
Sir Hildebrand Stanley's mansion.
JOHN MANESTY. 143
CHAPTER XXL
HUGH MANESTY'S SUBMISSION, AND ITS
CONSEQUENCES.
The hour appointed for the meeting be-
tween Colonel Stanley and Hugh had now
arrived; and the former, attended by one
of the officers of his regiment, Captain
Brooksbank, was already on the ground
near Wavertree.
" It is five minutes past the stated hour,"
said Stanley, looking at his watch j " and
14-1 JOHN MANESTY.
yet tliis counting-house cur does not appear.
By Jove! if he makes a fool of me, I'll horse-
whip him on 'Change before his brother-
merchants, even if I should have a dozen
creditors among the bystanders."
" We'll give him a quarter of an hour,"
said Brooksbank; " and then should he not
come, you'll be justified in visiting him
with any degradation you think fit."
"Curse the fellow!" ejaculated the
colonel. " I thought he had some pluck
in him. At any rate, it looked like it,
Brooksbank, when he ventured to challenge
me."
il He may yet come up to the scratch,"
returned the captain. " And see, some-
body is advancing this way. He can't be
our man, though, for he is alone."
JOHN MANESTY. 145
" A shuffling hound!" cried Stanley.
By this time, the features of the new-
comer could be seen. He was a stranger,
and looked like a porter or messenger. On
approaching the two friends, the man
touched his hat, and inquired if either of
them was Colonel Stanley.
" We do not choose to answer that
question," replied Brooksbank. " Why do
you ask it?"
" Because," replied the man, unhesi-
tatingly, " I have a letter for that gentle-
man, which I am to deliver into his own
hands. I was told that I should find
him and another gentleman waiting here-
abouts."
" And from whom is the letter, — eh, my
man?" demanded the captain.
VOL. II. II
14G JOnN MANESTY.
" From Mr. Hugh Manesty," was the
reply.
Brooksbank, whom long experience in
these matters had rendered suspicious, at
first imagined this to be a feint to identify
the colonel and himself, in order that they
might be taken into custody for conspiring
to break the peace. He cast his eyes
around him in every direction, and, seeing
no other person lurking about, he said to
Stanley, " I think we may trust this fellow.
It's no trap. Take the letter, and let's see
what the sneaking rascal has to say for
himself."
" Give me the letter, my man," said
Colonel Stanley. " I am the gentleman to
whom it is directed."
The messenger delivered his missive, and
JOHN MANESTY. 147
returned quietly towards the town. When
he was out of sight, Stanley broke the seal,
and read as follows to Brooksbank : —
" Liverpool Arras, Wednesday noon.
"Sir, — I write to you under circumstances
of deep humiliation. Though the chal-
lenger, I am not in a position to meet you
on the matter as it stands. Circumstances
have occurred which convince me that the
grounds of our quarrel, as far as it has
hitherto proceeded, do not warrant me in
exposing my own life, or in placing yours
in peril. Without justice on one's side,
or what one believes to be justice, the
going out to fight a duel is little better
than an attempt to murder, and this I can-
not — will not — do. This explanation is
II 2
148 JOHN MANESTY.
not likely to satisfy you ; but I can offer no
other. For having given you the lie, an
apology on my part would be superfluous,
as you neutralized the indignity by a
blow.
" Any further communication you may
desire to make to me, must be addressed
here. It may be long before I am again
found at the house of Mr. Manesty. An
affair of some moment will keep me away
till the evening; but this is of less conse-
quence, as the moon is at present at the
full. I pledge myself to attend to any
meeting you may appoint, and remain
" Your obedient servant,
"Hugh Manesty."
" To Colonel Stanley."
JOHN MANESTY. 149
" A queer letter, Brooksbank," said the
colonel — " a strange mixture of submission
and defiance. What does the fellow mean
by the quarrel, as far as it has hitherto
proceeded ? The coolness of his insolence
provokes me. Then, don't you observe, he
tempts me to further hostilities ; and hints
at the convenience of moonlight. What do
you think, Brooksbank?"
"Think!" retorted the other. "Why,
the thing is as plain as this pistol-case ; you
must call him out ; he provokes it."
" And I will do so, by !" returned
the colonel, as a thought of his cousin Mary
crossed his mind and inflamed his resent-
ment.
With this view, Stanley and Brooksbank
returned to Toxteth Park, there to prepare
a message to young Manesty.
150 JOHN MANESTY.
Poor Hugh ! the toils arc closing fast
about thee. Deadly defiance on one hand,
and black disgrace to thy relative on the
other.
JOIIN MANESTY. 151
CHAPTER XXII.
HUGH AND MARY — THE EARL OF SILVERSTICK IS
EXHIBITED IN A NEW LIGHT.
In his last interview with Manesty, Hugh
was so bewildered, so shocked, so humiliated,
and so indignant at the revelations then made
as to the identity of the merchant with Dick
Iloskins, the pirate, and the positive decla-
ration that this blood-stained man was his
own father, that, heedless of the manuscript
offered him, he had rushed in a frantic state
152 JOHN MANESTY.
from the presence of his parent, leaving the
papers untouched on the table. He was too
much engrossed by the astounding disclo-
sure to think of anything but an eternal
separation from him to whom, since early
youth, he had looked up as his guide and
protector, as well as the founder of his for-
tune. All was now over. Hugh could no
longer participate in wealth amassed by
such means as piracy and the infamous cap-
ture and traffic in human beings. He was
now a beggar — a stray weed on the surface
of society. *He must begin the world again.
Liverpool was closed against him; he could
no more shew his face there. London was
the only place which offered any chance of
success, and thither he would repair as
quickly as possible.
JOHN MANESTY. 153
But this step he eould not take till lie
had settled two important and pressing
affairs, — namely, his quarrel with Colonel
Stanley, and his engagement with Mary,
from each of which he felt it was incumbent
on him to retreat; and he made up his
mind manfully to avoid both; manfully,
because to go into the field against Stanley
on the existing dispute would be to assume
false colours, which he abhorred ; and to
prolong his intercourse with Miss Stanley
would be equally unjustifiable under his new
circumstances.
Determining never again to enter Ma-
jesty's house, Hugh took up a brief resi-
dence at a tavern called the Liverpool
Arms, where lie wrote to Colonel Stanley,
as before related. If this letter breathed in
H 3
154 JOIIN MANESTY.
some of its expressions a haughty and defy-
ing spirit, some allowance should he made
for the tortured feelings of a young man,
whose expectations of wealth and honour
and dreams of love had that very morning
been destroyed. In a high-minded person,
poverty, more than opulence, is the parent
of pride.
Having despatched his letter to Stanley,
Hugh prepared for an explanation far more
harrowing than any event which could by
possibility ensue between him and the
colonel. The time in his own power was
but brief, for he had bound himself to
Stanley to be at the Liverpool Arms in the
evening. Without delay, therefore, he re-
paired to Eaglemont. Luckily, Sir Hilde-
brand was from home when he arrived, so
JOHN MANESTY. 155
that Hugh was at once ushered into the
presence of Miss Stanley, who was alone.
" Dear Hugh !" exclaimed the poor girl,
starting up as he entered the room, and
holding out to him both her hands — " dear
Hugh, what a weight of misery has your
appearance lifted from my heart! Thank
Heaven, you are safe ! — and George," con-
tinued she, with a shudder, " George, I fer-
vently hope, is not hurt."
" Colonel Stanley and I have not met,"
replied Hugh. " I withdrew my challenge,
because, although your cousin might have
been rash and unfeeling in uttering what he
did in your presence, I have since under-
gone the bitter mortification of learning
that his words were not altogether erro-
neous."
15(1 JOHN MANESTY.
u v.
You have acted nobly, Hugh."
" I know not," lie returned. " At any
rate, I am conscious that I have acted
justly. And now, Mary," he continued, in
a trembling and mournful voice, and looking
earnestly upon her, " do not be offended—
but, above all, do not be grieved — if I say
I am come here to bid you farewell for
ever !"
Mary turned as pale as death, and could
only just articulate — "What mean you,
Hugh?"
" This," returned young Manesty. " You
see before you a ruined, a despairing, a
broken-hearted man — one who must never
more enter your house — one to whom the
consolation even of this last adieu would, in
all probability, have been denied, had not
your father been absent !"
JOHN MANESTY. 157
" What has happened ?" gasped Miss
Stanley. " tell me what has happened!
— tell me at once! I can bear anything
but this torturing suspense. I will not
believe that disgrace can attach itself to
Hugh Manesty!"
" Thank you, Mary — thank you, from
the depths of my heart. I am not, in
myself, disgraced; but, in the disgrace of
one's near relative the world forces one to
participate."
"Is that all?" she ejaculated. "Then
there is no need for any estrangement be-
tween you and me."
" It must be so, Mary. I can never
again be known to you! Listen. Mr. John
Manesty, my near relative, the proud and
wealthy merchant of Liverpool — the most
158 JOHN MANESTY.
prominent man on 'Change — the seemingly
pious Puritan— has confessed the truth of
those accusations which the colonel repeated
in your presence! misery! The man
by whom I have been brought up — from
whom I have received unremitting kindness
— whose lips never uttered to me any other
than sage and godly counsels — this man,
Mary, is a pirate, and — God ! how shall
I utter it — a murderer !"
Hugh covered his face with his hands,
and a dead silence ensued. Mary was
stricken dumb. At length, Hugh was able
again to speak.
" Nay, more, Mary," he ejaculated, in
tones which demonstrated the terrible heart-
throes that tormented him — " this guilty
being, who is even now a trembling fugitive
JOHN MANESTY. 159
from justice, is — the dreadful truth must
OUt — MY FATHER !"
Mary sank on her chair. The words she
had heard seemed to have scared away her
senses. Hugh rang the bell violently, and
on the entrance of a servant, followed by
Mrs. Yarington, rushed from the room.
In crossing the park, on his return to
Liverpool, young Manesty met Lord Silver-
stick going towards the house.
" Why, Hugh, my young friend," said the
earl, " you stride along as if you were walk-
ing for a wager ! This will never do. You
must give up these precipitate habits — they
savour too strongly of the market and the
exchange. Haste is vulgar. Pray recollect,
that though you have the misfortune to be
a merchant, gentle blood is in your veins ;
1G0 JOHN MANESTY.
so, at least, my friend, Sir Hildebrand,
intimates."
Gentle blood, indeed! Hugh shuddered.
" And therefore," pursued the earl, " you
are entitled to remember the invaluable
maxims of my Lord Chesterfield, who pre-
scribes composure in all things." Then,
observing the distracted visage of the young
man, he added, in a tone of natural sym-
pathy which sounded very little in accord-
ance with the selfish precepts of his great
authority — "Is anything the matter,
Hugh !"
" Much— much of dreadful import !" re-
plied young Mancsty. " I will not, at
present trouble your lordship with a painful
recital ; but there is a minor point in my
distress on which, if you will permit me, I
JOHN MANESTY. 161
would solicit the favour of your advice.
Will you grant it?"
" Willingly, and to the best of my
ability," replied the good-natured nobleman,
who, as already has been intimated, enter-
tained a strong friendship for the young
merchant. " Speak, Hugh."
" Your lordship has doubtless perceived
that I am hated by Colonel Stanley; and
that "
" Stop, Hugh," interrupted the earl.
" Hate is a violent term, and, to the best of
my knowledge, has no place in the vocabu-
lary of my Lord Chesterfield. I have,
indeed, perceived that Colonel Stanley re-
gards you inimically. Proceed. "
" I have long endeavoured, my lord, to
turn a deaf ear to his galling insinuations ;
1G2 JOUN MANESTY.
but happening (very incautiously, I admit,)
to accompany Sir Hildebrand and Miss
Stanley to the colonel's house this morning,
he broke out into the most ferocious abuse
of my relative, Mr. Manesty, in return for
which I gave him the lie direct, and then
blows were exchanged between us."
" Excessively preposterous and under-
bred !" interposed the earl. " Well."
" I challenged him."
" You ought to have begun with that.
A duel should be managed as politely as an
exchange of compliments. Blows are current
only among boors. If you get well out of
this affair, Til take you in hand, and furnish
you with a code of regulations, by myself,
founded on my Lord Chesterfield's prin-
ciples, by observance of which you may
JOHN MANESTY. 163
acquit yourself like a gentleman in any
other matter coming within the same cate-
gory. When do you and Colonel Stanley
meet?"
" I have withdrawn my challenge."
" Ha !" exclaimed the earl, with a slight
start. " How so?"
" Why, my lord, I felt from what I had
subsequently the mortification to learn, that
my cause was not a just one ; and rather
than put a man's life in jeopardy on a false
ground of dispute, I resolved to submit to
the imputation even of cowardice."
" My Lord Chesterfield would scarcely
understand your magnanimity," observed the
earl, coughing drily.
" Perhaps not," responded Hugh. " But
in declining the meeting on the primary
164 JOHN MANESTY.
cause of dispute, 1 still, in my letter, left it
open to the colonel to adopt any other pre-
tence for hostilities."
" Come, that's better," said the carl;
" and conceived in a gentlemanlike spirit.
I never imagined your ledgers could teach
anything so refined."
" Pardon my abruptness, my lord," ex-
claimed the young man; " but "
" No, I never pardon abruptness," said
the earl; " anything rather than that."
" The Ions? and the short of the matter is
this," pursued Hugh, " I believe that from
jealousy, connected with Miss Stanley, Co-
lonel Stanley thirsts for my life. I have
little doubt that my letter, declining to meet
him on the original nature of the quarrel,
will produce a hostile message from him. I
am now going to ascertain if this expecta-
JOHN MANESTY. 165
tion is well-founded. Should it be so, I
have reason to think he will require a meet-
ing to-night, which will be quite practicable,
as there will be a full moon."
" Well."
" You know, my lord, that my pursuits
in life have not thrown me much into the
society of persons, any one of whom would
be likely to act as a friend in such an emer-
gency. What I wish to ask you is, that
should Colonel Stanley do me the honour to
call me out -"
" Expressed with perfect propriety," in-
terrupted Lord Silverstick. " Suppose he
does you the honour? — ha !"
" In that case, will your lordship be so
kind as to introduce me to some gentleman
who will accompany me?"
" My son, Lord Randy, is the very
166 JOHN MANESTY.
man!" cried the earl. " No, stop ! — now I
recollect, it would be rather difficult to find
him. And, on second thoughts, he is not
exactly the person I could wish. He knows
little of the regulations prescribed on such
occasions. Make yourself easy, Hugh. If
Colonel Stanley desires an appeal to arms,
I, myself, will accompany you."
" You, my lord! How shall I express
my thanks for your kindness — your conde-
scension?"
" Say nothing about it, Hugh. Very
possibly you'll hear no more of the affair.
To ascertain which, instead of going to Sir
Hildebrand's, as I intended, I will return
to Liverpool. I cannot, however, much as I
esteem you, my dear boy, enter the residence
of Mr. Manesty, the merchant."
JOHN MANESTY. 167
" Nor is it necessary, my lord ; I am not
now in his house, but have taken up my
quarters at the Liverpool Arms."
" That is well, then," pursued the earl.
" My carriage is at the gate, and will soon
deposit us at your hotel."
Having arrived at Castle-street, in which
stood the inn in question, Hugh inquired
if any letter had been left for him during
his absence. " None, sir," replied the
waiter; " but a gentleman is waiting in
the coffee-room to see you. He told me to
give you this card." Hugh glanced at the
name.
" Shew the gentleman to my room," he
said. " Here is a card, my lord," he
added, to the earl, " from a Captain Brooks-
bank."
168 JOHN MANESTY.
" Humph!" exclaimed the earl. " A
messenger from Colonel Stanley, doubtless.
Quite en rSgle. We shall have the duel.
Make up your mind to that. Sec him, and
then refer him to me."
JOHN MANESTY. 169
CHAPTER XXIII.
SHEWING HOW MANESTY TOOK HIS PRECAUTIONS —
HIS SEARCH AFTER HUGH — AND WHAT ENSUED
ON HIS INTERVIEW WITH LAWYER VARNHAM,
Feeling convinced that he had secured his
son's safety, as far as the intended duel with
Stanley was concerned, Manesty, after Hugh
had rushed from his presence, deliberately
proceeded to re-open the sea-chests, and
apply again to the task of examining and
selecting their contents. Having lit a taper,
VOL. II. I
170 JOHN MANESTY.
he held many of the manuscripts over the
flame, and threw their burning relics into
the grate. Others he put aside, with a
view of placing them, under seals and lock
and key, in the custody of his attorney,
Varnham. In this way, he had nearly emp-
tied one of the chests, when he took out
from among the undermost layer of papers,
an unsheathed and rusty sword. Gazing
intently on it, he exclaimed —
"Ah, old acquaintance! I did well in
consigning thee . to perpetual rest after thy
great deed! More than four and twenty
years hast thou slumbered in utter inactivity.
Thy blade formerly was bright and keen ;
now the greedy rust has gnawn it, and thou
art sadly defeatured. But it was not fitting
that thou shouldst be stained by mean blood.
JOHN MANESTY. 171
after having drawn forth some of the best in
the land. I have looked often at thee with
exultation. Why dost thou now draw up
the blinding water in my eyes, so that I
scarce can see thee? And wherefore does
my breast swell, and my heart throb, thus
intolerably? Dost thou reproach me, old
sword? What! did I use thee wrongfully?
Well, well ! Thy silent appeal almost un-
mans me. Yet, how could I bear the scorn,
and hate, and fierce pride of him on whom
at last I wreaked a bloody revenge?"
Manesty placed the sword aside, and
leaned back in his chair, as if in deep
rumination. He was, however, only a few
minutes thus abstracted. Starting up, he
said —
" I have no time to waste. I am in the
i2
172 JOHN MANESTY.
toils, and the hunters are upon me. Dex-
terously have I played my game — dexter-
ously will I play it still. In spite of them,
I shall escape. Escape ! And am I then
brought to such a pass as to think my
greatest good is in successful flight? Oh,
Manesty, thy pride, and cruelty, and self-
ishness, have ruined thee! Thou hast
thought too little of this; and lo! the
dreadful cup of bitterness is at thy lips.
Thy fortune is gone. Thy name is the prey
of the scorncr. Though consorting with
pious men, thou hast turned — hypocrite as
thou art — a deaf ear to their counsels. But
the words that are written in the wondrous
Book sink deeply even into the hardest and
most unbelieving hearts; and then, when
least they are expected, rise up with fearful
JOHN MANESTY. 173
threatening. In the days of my pride I
cast them off; but now they burst out
against me, even as avengers. ' God/ says
the Psalmist, ' hath prepared for the wicked
man the instruments of death. He ordaiu-
eth his arrows against those that persecute.
Whoso travaileth with iniquity, and hath
conceived mischief, and brought forth false-
hood, and made a pit and digged it for
others, shall fall into the ditch which he
made. His mischief shall return "upon his
own head, and his violent dealing shall come
down upon himself.' This is the truth of
all ages ; fearfully do I feel it ! Fearfully
have I felt it ; but success, and pride, and
the strength of manhood, and the impious
sacrifice of all to self, have tempted ine to
defy it. Now I must reap the harvest I
have sown."
174 JOHN MAN EST Y.
I laving thus soliloquized, Mancsty again
addressed himself to the examination of the
papers. While so employed, his hand
lighted on a miniature of a woman, which
he hastily thrust among the reserved docu-
ments.
" No, no !" ejaculated he, " I cannot look
on that! I could contemplate the sword;
but one glance at that pictured face would
turn my eye-balls into stone. Hugh shall
have it with the rest ; 'twill be precious to
him. Oh, Bertha ! — dear, unhappy, lost
Bertha! I have devoted to thy memory
many a melancholy vigil ; but never again
may I visit the sacred room at Wolster-
kolme!"
Manesty covered his eyes with his hand
awhile ; when, removing it, and looking at
JOHN MANESTY. 175
his palm, " What!" vociferated he, " tears !
I never thought to be guilty of this weak-
ness. Rouse — rouse thyself, John! Be not
cast down. Summon to thee the daring of
thy other self — Hoskins the pirate. It is
all over with thee as a Liverpool merchant.
This is no time to be maudlin. Pack up
thy papers — order thy horse — but first see if
thy pistols are in trim, and load them.
John Manesty shall not be taken alive ; no,
not by twenty Oglethorpes."
The merchant now thrust his reserved
documents, including the old sword and the
miniature, into a portmanteau, which he
carefully locked and sealed ; and then, sum-
moning Hezekiah, ordered his horse, and
prepared for a final adieu to Liverpool.
Looking around him, as if for a farewell
176 JOHN MANESTY.
glance at a room where he had passed many
hours, his eyes fell on the papers he had
given to his son as confirmations of the
astounding intelligence respecting the young
man's paternity.
« D— n— n !" roared Manesty. " He has
left behind him the writings which alone
could substantiate the truth of my assertion !
Reflecting carefully on my words, he may
think they were uttered in extremity as a
manoeuvre to hinder his duel with Stanley ;
and, under that impression, may rush into
the field and be slain ! Oh, my boy— my
boy ! — gladly would I die for thee even on
the scaffold !"
This idea of Hugh's danger so absorbed
the mind of Manesty that, for a moment or
two, he was unconscious of everything else.
JOHN MANESTY. 177
He was recalled, however, to a state of vigi-
lance by hearing a low whistling and cough-
ing below in the corn-store, in Mud-lane.
" A signal !" said Mancsty ; when, approach-
ing the window cautiously, and looking out,
his eyes met those of Ozias Eheinenberger,
whose face, lifted up towards him, was
deadly pale and terror-stricken. Speech
was out of the question, considering the
interposing panes of glass, and the distance
between the parties. The Moravian, there-
fore, trusting to dumb show, pointed with
his thumb over his shoulder, as if to indi-
cate that something was approaching in that
direction, while, with a movement of the
other hand, he waved Manesty off towards
the front of the premises in Pool-lane.
" I understand him," thought the mer-
i 3
178 JOHN MANESTY.
chant, drawing away from the window, after
nodding to Ozias to indicate that his hint
was taken; " and will profit by his sug-
gestion. I thought to escape by the store ;
but I find I must take the other way.
Well, it cannot be helped. Oglethorpe
knows nothing about two doors. He will
be over-reached by his own cunning. I
have been in greater danger than this on
the coast of Guinea. Now then."
And, having placed a pistol in each of
his capacious pockets, he seized the bundle
he had made up, and drew aside the heavy
bolts in the front door. At this moment a
sound of voices in busy parley was heard at
the entrance of the out-house, quickly fol-
lowed by the thrust of a crow-bar, and a
jarring noise made by forcing the door from
JOHN MANESTY. 179
its fastenings. Manesty kept his position
for a moment, anxiously listening, on the
top of the front stairs, to ascertain if any
similar danger was to be apprehended in
that direction. But all there was cp.net.
Meanwhile, he was aware of the rush up
the steps, or rather ladder, by which the
room was gained from the out-house in the
rear.
" Judging by the variety of voices," said
Manesty to himself, with an inaudible
chuckle, " the fellows are strong in number.
But even if they reach the door, they'll find
it rather a tougher job to force than they
did the entrance below; and, as the ladder
is narrow, only one can work at a time.
Hallo! what's that!" continued he, as a
sudden snapping of wood was heard, sue-
180 JOHN MANESTY.
ceedcd instantly by a heavy fall, and sundry
groans and execrations. " Capital, by
! The ladder has broken ; and some
of the heavy rogues must have a few more
bruises and fractures than they bargained
for, even in coming to take me. Now is
the time," he added, descending the front
stairs, and saying as he went, " Neither
Oglethorpe, nor the devil himself, shall
hinder my going to Wavertree after Hugh.
My boy — my boy !"
Manesty's steed was at the door, as had
been ordered. Directing the portmanteau
to be quickly strapped behind the saddle,
he mounted, and galloped off in the direction
of Wavertree, where he arrived soon after
the time indicated by his son. Not a soul
was on the ground; nor did the merchant
JOHN MANESTY. 181
meet any one either going to or coming
from the spot. Had anything happened of
the kind he feared, some symptom of it
must have met his observation. Braving
every danger to himself, Manesty next went
to other places where he thought Hugh
might be found ; but though, to his infinite
disappointment, he could not trace him, he
felt comforted in the conviction that no
hostilities had taken place. He was re-
solved, however, at all hazards, to remain
about Liverpool till midnight, in the hope
of seeing his son once more, and imparting
to him certain information as to his future
prospects in life. But first, he must call
on his attorney, Ezekiel Varnham.
Boldly and openly, as in the days of his
pride, did John Manesty ride through the
182 JOHN MANESTY.
streets of Liverpool. He neither hung
down his head, nor drew his hat over his
brows, nor sought by-streets, nor urged his
horse beyond a gentle trot. It is not pro-
bable that he would have been thus careless
on foot ; but he felt convinced that, in case
of any untoward rencontre, he might de-
pend on the fleetness of his steed, whose
blood and bone could not easily be matched.
Thus audaciously did he ride to Varnham's
house, standing by itself in a kind of court-
yard. Having learnt that the lawyer was
at home, Manesty took the precaution of
placing his mare near the stable at the back
of the building, whence egress could be ob-
tained into a by-lane, and was then ushered
into the lawyer's presence.
Ezekiel Varnham was a pleasant-spoken,
JOHN MANESTY. 183
good-looking man, but an infinite rogue ; a
fellow of coaxing manners, but so thoroughly
unprincipled, as to take advantage of any
knowledge confidentially communicated to
him by a client, if by those means he could
forward the suit of a richer employer.
Varnham was a sharp practitioner ; that is
to say, in his very first steps against an un-
fortunate debtor, he would at once swell the
costs to the utmost extent. This, probably,
was never intended by the spirit of the law;
but Ezekiel Varnham looked only to the
letter, equally reckless of the sufferings of
his victim, and the interest of his client.
On entering the room, Manesty was im-
mediately struck with a change in the
demeanour of his attorney, who, scarcely
rising from his seat, returned the merchant's
184 JOHN MANESTY.
greeting with marked coolness. Manesty
was not slow in assigning this to its proper
cause, and was resolved at once to bring it
to an issue.
"Come, come, Ezekiel Varnham !" said
he, " this is folly. I know what you
have heard of me ; but I know also that, if
it answered your purpose, you would not
object to the devil himself for a client."
" You do me honour," replied Varnham,
with a slight sneer.
"To be sure I do," rejoined the other.
" Am I not right well instructed in the art
of honouring lawyers ?"
" I have no time to-day to bandy compli-
ments," observed the attorney. "If you
wish to speak to me, Mr. Manesty, you
must be brief. I have many pressing en-
JOHN MANESTY. 185
gagements," he added, taking out his
watch.
" My time is also precious," said Ma-
nesty. " Therefore let us at once to busi-
ness. In the first place "
" Stop a moment," interposed Varnham,
" just while I give my clerk a few instruc-
tions touching the mortgage which "
"No, no, Varnham," returned Manesty,
glancing sternly and significantly at the
lawyer; "out of this room you do not pass
till you and I have had full conference
together. It is fit that we speak plainly
one to another. My character is in rather
a dangerous state at present; and yours,
friend Ezekiel, is not so sound, but that it
stands a little in need of repair. You,
doubtless, think it would advance your
186 .JOHN MANESTY.
reputation as a disinterested and public-
spirited citizen, if you were to deliver up to
the law John Manesty — Manesty, the ruined
man — who comes voluntarily and in con-
fidence to your house. You shall not do
this, Varnham, much as I admire your
virtue."
" What mean you, Mr. Manesty ?" asked
Varnham, in all the confusion of a con-
scious rogue.
"Oh, you know well enough. Let us
have no affectation. In a word, Varnham,
you believe, because I am in extremity, that
I must be without money. You are mis-
taken," continued he, producing a heavy
bag, and convincing the lawyer that it was
loaded with guineas. " Nay, more," he
added, " it is perhaps your opinion that the
JOUN MANESTY. 187
present posture of my affairs intimidates
me. This is equally erroneous. See, Varn-
ham, how well I am prepared, both to confer
a reward, or to repel hostility."
So saying, the merchant drew a pistol
from his pocket, and coolly laid it on the
table. The lawyer's cheeks turned white,
and his eyes were fixed on Manesty.
"I see you understand me, Ezekiel,"
pursued Manesty; "and you know I am
not a trifler. Here, take this gold; you
will find it to be no paltry fee."
With abundant acknowledgments, Varn-
ham clutched the money, professing his
readiness to act on behalf of Manesty with
the utmost zeal and activity. But this
change in his demeanour was only momen-
tary. His eyes became restless, glancing
188 JOHN MANESTY.
hither and thither, as if with apprehension ;
his manner was embarrassed, and his whole
frame seemed uneasy and agitated.
" I want nothing of you myself," resumed
the merchant. " My object in visiting you
is to place in your custody this portman-
teau, chiefly containing papers. They are
for the inspection of one eye only. But
even that eye is not to see them yet. At
the proper time, an order, signed by myself,
will be presented, when you will deliver
them. The bearer of this order will be
prepared to pay, in addition to what you
have now received, five hundred pounds,
for the faithful discharge of your trust."
Varnham's eyes twinkled at the prospect,
though his restlessness evidently increased;
and he repeatedly looked at his watch.
JOHN MANESTY. 189
"But," pursued the merchant, "the
slightest evidence of any tampering with
the lock or seals will not only deprive you
of the money, but also of a very valuable
client, in the person of my successor, Mr.
Hugh Manesty, whose property will not be
prejudiced by any underhand dealing with
that which I now commit to your charge,
however he may be pained at knowing that
the family information contained in those
papers has been perused by any other than
himself. I have entrusted you with the
packet, because I have reason to suspect
that all documents in my house will be
overhauled by the authorities, and I should
not like these to fall into their hands. I
think I can now depend upon you, Varn-
ham."
100 JOHN MANESTY.
" Implicitly," returned the lawyer.
"Nothing more, then, need be said,"
observed Manesty. " That is your iron
chest there in the corner, isn't it?"
" Yes."
" Well, Ezekiel, let me seo you deposit
my portmanteau safely in it, and then fare-
well."
This was accordingly done to the mer-
chant's satisfaction ; when, offering his hand
to Varnham, who eagerly grasped it, as if
infinitely relieved at the termination of the
interview, Manesty rose to depart.
But his exit was destined to be not so
quiet as his entrance. The door of the
room was suddenly opened, and a man,
whose head was bound round with a hand-
kerchief, and whose visage bore evident
JOHN MANESTY. 191
marks of a recent contusion, entered.
Though thus disfigured, Manesty instantly
recognised Measly Mott, whose voice he
had heard among others during the morn-
ing assault in the corn-store. Varnham
looked like one stricken with epilepsy.
Catching a momentary glimpse of one or
two other men in the passage, Manesty
sprang like lightning to the door, closed,
and locked it, and seizing Mott by the
throat with his left hand, while with his
right he held a pistol to the fellow's temple,
said, in a low tone —
" If you make the least signal, Measly
Mott, you are a dead man. This is the
fruit of your contrivance, Ezekiel Varnham.
You knew I was coming here to-day," added
the merchant, with a reproachful and furious
look at his attorney.
192 JOHN MANESTY.
The constable trembled from head to foot.
"For God's sake, Mr. Honesty," said lie,
"don't go for to harm me! Consider my
wife and her three beauteous babbies at
home!" — an appeal which Measly Mott
was in the habit of making on all occa-
sions.
" Open that closet, Varnham," said the
merchant. " Quick, man — quick ! "
Varnham could not choose but obey ; and
Manesty pushed Mott towards the recess,
the man faintly ejaculating, " Here's a go !
assault and battery, and false imprison-
ment, and a compounding of felony, Mr,
Varnham ! "
Measly 's further eloquence was stifled,
by his being jammed and bolted into the
narrow enclosure. All this was accom-
JOHN MANESTY. 193
plished in little more than a minute, when
Manesty, springing through the window,
gained the stable-yard at the rear, found
his mare, vaulted into the saddle, and gal-
loped off as fleetly as if he had been mounted
on the back of a race-horse.
VOL, II. K
JOnN MANESTY. 195
CHAPTER XXIV.
THE MEETING AT WAVERTREE — WHAT HAPPENED
THEN AND THERE.
Having exchanged a few words with Lord
Silverstick, Hugh repaired to his own room,
where he found Captain Brooksbank.
" Pray be seated, sir," said Hugh. " You
come, I believe, from Colonel Stanley."
" I do, sir," replied Brooksbank.
" I can guess the purport of your visit,"
rejoined Hugh; "and you will oblige me
by coming to the point at once."
k2
190 JOnN MANESTY.
tl In one word, then," said Brooksbank,
"the colonel demands from yon either an
unqualified apology, or a meeting at Waver-
tree, within an hour from the present time ;
and I am further to intimate, that if you
elect the latter alternative, no apology will
be received on the ground."
Hugh's blood boiled in his veins, but he
suppressed any manifestation of resentment,
saying, calmly —
" Apology, Captain Brooksbank, is quite
out of the question. I will meet the
colonel."
" But," pursued Brooksbank, " I trust I
need not point out to you the consequences
of any other "
"I know what you are about to say,"
interrupted Hugh. " Spare yourself the
JOHN MANESTY. 197
trouble of speaking, and me the mortifica-
tion of hearing. Colonel Stanley may rest
fully assured I shall not fail him."
"Favour me with your friend's name,"
said Brooksbank.
" The Earl of Silverstick," replied Hugh,
to the evident surprise of Stanley's second.
" You will not have to seek him, because,
anticipating a message from the colonel,
his lordship has been so polite as to accom-
pany me here. Permit me to bring him to
you now."
Hugh left the room, returning imme-
diately with the earl, whom he introduced
to Captain Brooksbank. After his lord-
ship had made his most graceful saluta-
tions, Hugh left him and the captain to-
gether. Their conference, however, was
198 JOHN MANESTY.
but short, for in less than ten minutes
Lord Silverstick rejoined his young friend,
telling him he had stipulated that pistols,
not swords, should be the weapons used.
" Have you any affairs of pressing mo-
ment to arrange?" asked the earl.
" None," replied Hugh,
" That is well," returned Lord Silver-
stick. " A wise man should always be
fully prepared for any and every emergency,
as I see you are ; and nothing ensures this
but method. My Lord Chesterfield insisted
strongly on the virtue of method. ' Nothing,'
says he, ' contributes more to dispatch than
method. Lay down a method for every-
thing, and stick to it inviolably.' Now I
never could impress this on my son, Randy.
But you, my dear young friend, are instinc-
JOHN MANESTY. 199
tively a gentleman — a gentleman nascitur,
nonjit ; whereas twenty Lord Chesterfields
could not have qualified for that appellation
such a character as Colonel Stanley. I pro-
test I have an excessive dislike to a man who
cannot be brought to apprehend ' the graces,
the air, address, politeness, and, in short,
the whole tournure and agremens of a man
of fashion. So many little things conspire
to form that tournure, that though sepa-
rately they seem too insignificant to mention,
yet, aggregately ' "
" Pardon me, my lord," said Hugh, inter-
rupting the earl, who was gradually getting
involved in the metaphysics of Chesterfield
and la mode; "but time is fast slipping
away, and though I have no affairs to
arrange, yet, should I fall, perhaps your
200 JOHN MANESTY.
lordship will not object to be the bearer of
a message from me to Miss Stanley, espe-
cially as I have given her reason to suppose
that all hostilities were at an end between
me and her cousin."
" I trust my agency will not be required,"
said Lord Silverstick; "but, in any case,
I will fulfil your wishes."
" Tell her, then," pursued young Manesty,
" that I was forced into the field. Convince
her that I had no choice."
" Nothing more?"
" Nothing, my lord, except that my last
thoughts rested on her."
" I trust that happiness is yet in store
for you both," said the good-natured noble-
man. " In the affair now on your hands,
firmness is everything, and I see you are
JOHN MANESTY. 201
firm. Stanley is irascible, and that is a
disadvantage. His second, too, seems rash.
But, depend on it, nothing shall be done
contre les regies. It is time to think of
moving. Come. Where are your pistols?"
Hugh handed him the case, and Lord
Silverstick inspected its contents. "Lon-
don-made, I perceive," said he; "and, I
protest, in very pretty condition. Come,"
he added, " we shall be able to drive deli-
berately to Wavertree. A gentleman should
never be in a hurry. My Lord Chesterfield
is precise on that point; and it is better to
be too early than too late, especially on
such an occasion as this."
The carriage was ordered. Lord Silver-
stick and young Manesty entered it, and
proceeded towards Wavertree. Hugh, this
k 3
2U2 JOHN MANESTY.
time, was first on the ground ; but he had
not long to wait, as Colonel Stanley and his
friend soon appeared. The earl, with a
ceremonious bow to Brooksbank, drew him
aside, and they conversed for a couple of
minutes.
"I think," said Lord Silverstick, "as
the moon is high, and gives a pretty equal
light, and as the ground appears to be
quite level, one position is as good as
another."
" Precisely so, my lord," returned Brooks-
bank. " We have nothing to do but mea-
sure the distance and place our men."
" Nothing more," assented the earl.
" Promptitude is a great excellence."
A pistol was handed to each of the prin-
cipals, who, at the distance of twelve paces,
JOHN MANESTY. 203
stood, erect and calm, over against each
other, waiting for the word, which Captain
Brooksbank was on the point of giving in
military style, when the quick tramping of
hoofs was heard, and a man on horseback
darted into the midst of the group, and,
dismounting, stood between Stanley and the
young merchant.
" Desist I" vociferated he, in a command-
ing tone. " Neither of you shall lire at the
other, or the ball shall pass first through
my body. Oh, Hugh," he added, " I have
sought you all day — I have traced you to
the Liverpool Arms, and there heard some-
thing which convinced me you had come
here on this mad purpose. But I have
arrived in time. You shall not light this
Stanley. Give me your pistol."
204: JOUN MANESTY.
" Mr. Manesty," said the young man, in
a low voice, " leave the ground, I beseech
you. I can take care of my own honour,
which such an act as this, on your part,
will injure for ever. Leave the ground;
this affair with Colonel Stanley shall go
on."
" It shall not, I say," roared Manesty.
" Consider, dear Hugh, I have now no ob-
ject to bind me to the world but you. And
shall I see your life put in jeopardy on a
mere punctilio ? You will never behold me
again after this night. I have much to say
to you. Give over this encounter, or I
shall do some deed of desperation."
" And pray who may you be, sir?" asked
Captain Brooksbank, stepping forward.
Manesty bent a stern brow on his inter-
JOUN MANESTY. 205
rogator. " I answer no impertinent ques-
tions," said lie. " Suffice it, that lam a
man who will not be bullied. You will find
it dangerous to meddle with me." Then,
turning to the earl, who by this time had
come close to the other second, he added —
" Lord Silverstick, I know you; and I ask
if you consider it worthy of your years and
station in life to abet these foolish and
deadly brawls? If your friend there, Colonel
Stanley, should be maimed for life, he'll be
apt to think, that with a little less folly on
your part, you might have taken care of his
limbs and of his honour at the same time."
" You are pleased to be satirical, sir,"
returned Lord Silverstick, with a bow.
" But give me leave to say, that you are in
error in supposing Colonel Stanley to be
20G JOHN MANESTY.
my friend. I come here as the friend of
Mr. Hugh Manesty."
"Indeed!" ejaculated Manesty. "As
Ins friend, then, do you desire this affair to
go on?"
" Most assuredly," replied the earl, " un-
less my principal should receive an apology,
which is not in the least probable. You
must permit me, sir, to add, that I consider
your interference most irregular, and con-
trary to the rules prescribed in the code of
honour. Pray do me the favour to stand
aside."
"Idiot!" muttered Manesty. Then ad-
vancing to the colonel, he said, " George
Stanley, will nothing satisfy you but taking
this young man's life, or meeting your own
death at his hands?"
JOHN MANESTY. 207
" Nothing," replied the duellist. " You
will not succeed in interrupting us. Pro-
voke me not, John Manesty, or you may
rue it. What ! are we to have whining
morality from the lips of a pirate and a
murderer ? Where was your morality when
the sailor was drowned by your deed?
Here, Brooksbank, help me to bind this
fellow neck and heels to "
Manesty did not pause for the conclusion
of Stanley's threat. " Scoundrel, black-leg,
madman !" shouted he. " Thou wilt make
me guilty of more blood. Thy death be on
thine own head!" Drawing forth a pistol,
Manesty fired, and Stanley fell mortally
wounded.
The suddenness of this desperate act
struck a momentary panic into the whole
208 JOHN MANESTY.
party, during which Manesty armed him-
self with a second pistol, saying, as he
cocked it, " Let no man, as he loves his
life, venture to lay hands on me."
He then, in a voice not to he heard hy
the others, told Hugh where he might find
him, and supplicated the young man to come
to him at night. "I must now," added
he, " fly from this place."
The words had no sooner escaped him
than a tumult of voices swelled on the
wind, among which the most audible was
that of Oliver Oglethorpe.
" Come on, my men !" bawled he,
"We've caught him at last. There he is.
I see him. Mr. Hibblethwaite, secure the
horse, while I tackle the man. Quick —
quick !"
JOHN MANESTY. 209
" Say you so ?" ejaculated Manesty.
Vaulting into the saddle, and putting
spurs to his mare, he flew away like the
wind.
JOHN MANESTY. 211
CHAPTER XXV.
DEATH OF COLONEL STANLEY — A MAN'S ENEMY
MAY LAMENT HIS FALL MORE THAN A FRIEND —
CHESTERFIELDIAN MORALS — THE MORAVIAN —
HUGH IN CUSTODY.
A sad and turbulent scene did the moon
that night look down on : Manesty, the
murderer, flying for his life from the pur-
suit of Oglethorpe, Hibblethwaite, and
others; and Stanley stretched on the earth
with features deformed by agony, while
every gasp forced a red stream from his
212 JOHN MANESTY.
wound. Young Manesty and the carl seemed
paralysed at the death-struggle before their
eyes ; but Brooksbank viewed the scene
with perfect sang-froid; he had come to
the ground to see the shedding of blood, and
to him it was indiiferent who was the suf-
ferer. Strange to say, the knowledge that
his friend had fallen, not in combat, but by
the hand of an assassin, failed to arouse his
sympathies ; to be a man of feeling was
beneath the stern dignity of a soldier.
Differently, indeed, was Hugh affected by
this event. His implacable enemy was de-
stroyed; but in what manner! Could he
have reinstated himself in the position he
held when he arose in the morning — could
he again have enjoyed the honourable esti-
mation of his brother merchants — a flourish-
JOHN MANESTY. 213
ing property, and a sweet hope of an
alliance with Mary Stanley, he would have
forfeited all to restore his persecutor to life.
The groans, the convulsed visage, and the
gushing blood of that wretched man, tor-
tured him beyond endurance. He had
borne his own afflictions proudly ; but this
last and horrible addition to his misery
made the burden too heavy, and his heart
sank under it.
" Captain Brooksbank !" ejaculated he,
" your friend will die, unless instant aid is
procured. Oh, God, that it should come to
this ! Drive, I beseech you, to Liverpool,
for a surgeon. I will not for one instant
leave Colonel Stanley."
" To take any trouble about it would be
useless," returned Brooksbank. " Stanley
214 JOHN MANESTY.
can't live ten minutes ; before the expiration
of which time, we shall all be in custody if
we stay here. A man's first duty is to take
care of himself. I'm off. You and his
lordship may do as you like."
Having said this, he hastened to the
post-chaise, which had brought him and
Stanley to Wavertree, and drove away at a
rapid pace.
This selfish cold-heartedness opened a new
source of bewilderment to Hugh, whose
knowledge of the world was too confined to
permit even a suspicion of the monstrous
cruelty of self-interest. Stanley could do
nothing more for Brooksbank — why should
Brooksbank care for Stanley? Pity was
not given us to be cast away for nothing.
Why should we sow where we cannot hope
JOHN MANESTY. 215
to reap ? Commiseration is a ledger affair.
How much profit may be cleared by invest-
ing it? " That is the question."
" Kindness is subtle, covetous,
If not a usuring kindness ; as rich men deal gifts,
Expecting in return twenty for one."
Young Manesty, however, was not hardened
into this sordid depravation. Seeing that
the dying man was left without a friend, he
resolved, as far as in him lay, to supply that
deficiency. Bending by the side of Stanley,
he raised his head, supported it on his knee,
and wiped away the death-perspiration that
hung on his forehead and cheek.
u Here will I stay till all is over," said
Hugh, to the earl. "Meanwhile, let me
beseech you, for Heaven's sake, to fetch a
surgeon from Liverpool."
21 G JOHN MANESTY.
Lord Silverstick seemed for awhile unde-
termined how to act. " I do not altogether
approve," at length observed he, " the cal-
lous desertion of his principal by Captain
Brooksbank. Still, prudence is a great
virtue. Without it, our lives would be ex-
cessively miserable. Lord Chesterfield has
many excellent remarks on this head; and
it behoves every man of quality to bear
them in mind. His morals are profitable.
I recollect his saying, c Nothing could be
more perfectly foolish in any one than to
suffer his feelings to lead him away from
expediency.' This I call practicable wis-
dom, Hugh ; it is pretty generally acted on,
I assure you ; and I think you will admit
that, to say the least, it would be extremely
inconvenient for one in my station to be
JOHN MANESTY. 217
taken before a magistrate, as having been
present at a murder. I came here with
yon to assist at a gentlemanly arbitrement.
That it should have terminated in assassi-
nation is not my fault nor yours. I shall
depart from Liverpool with all speed. Will
you come with me?"
" And leave this unhappy victim to die
alone? Never!" exclaimed young Manesty.
" Then, my dear friend, until I have
the happiness to see you again, accept mes
adieux '."
The earl disappeared as quickly as Cap-
tain Brooksbank had done, and Hugh was
left alone with the dying man. The rattle
of Lord Silverstick's coach-wheels soon died
away in the distance. Silence returned,
vol. n. L
218 JOHN MANESTY.
investing the scene with additional solem-
nity. Hugh bound his handkerchief over
Stanley's wound with an endeavour to
stanch the oozing blood. What would he
not have given for some restorative which
might mitigate the sufferer's fierce agonies
— for even a cup of water to moisten his
parched tongue !
Hugh looked around him — all was vacant.
He listened intently, hoping to catch
some distant sound of footsteps. In vain.
Nothing could be heard but Stanley's heavy
groans. Thus, supporting the head of his
ghastly companion, did he remain a weary
space of time. At length, he shouted aloud
for help twice or thrice. The last shout
was answered ; and Ozias Rheinenberger ap-
peared.
JOHN MANESTY. 219
Having sorrowfully gazed at Stanley, the
Moravian spoke ; and his measured enunci-
ation sounded dismally in the night air.
"This is a dreadful sight, Hugh Ma-
nesty ! I know that thy hands are innocent
of blood in fact, but not in intention.
Thou earnest here on a senseless, and a
wicked, and a savage errand. The fatal
business is beginning to be known in Liver-
pool. The moment I heard of it, I hastened
to the spot to find, and, if possible, comfort
thee ; for of a surety none can so grievously
need comfort as he who hath offended
against the ordinances of the Most High.
Lo, here will I abide with thee. Others
will soon be in the place — ministers of
justice."
" Thank Heaven !" exclaimed Hugh ;
l2
220 JOHN MANESTY.
" then something may yet be done to save
this unfortunate man."
" Let ns liope so," answered Ozias.
a Thy uncle — how have I been deceived in
him! — is indeed a fearful man of blood.
Like unto Abimelech, the son of Jerubbnal,
he hath made slaughter the road to power;
and even as Abimelech perished, so will he.
And yet, would I could save him, and cause
him to repent, for I owe much to the name
of Manesty ; but it may not be !"
Poor Hugh groaned in bitterness of
heart.
" I wonder not to see thee so troubled in
spirit," resumed the Moravian. " In the
eye of worldly law, thy crime is not great.
Thou shalt not lack my counsel and com-
pany. Wherever they take thee, I will be
by thy side."
JOHN MANESTY. 221
" My heart thanks you, Mr. Rheinenber-
ger !" ejaculated young Manesty.
" But thy uncle," continued Ozias.
" What is to become of him? Alas ! I fear
he is lost, body and soul. Avenging men
are hotly on his track; among whom is
Richard Hibblethwaite, who (so I hear) is
mad with rage at something he has recently
discovered. I tremble to think John
Manesty's speedy death may not be averted.
My heart yearns to save him after death.
He hath tempted Satan to tempt him.
God!" added the Moravian, with uplifted
eyes, " be merciful, even unto him, a des-
perate sinner !"
Further discourse was prevented, by the
arrival of four persons, three of whom were
constables, bearing a litter ; the other was a
medical man.
222 JOHN MANESTY.
It appeared, that though the pursuit of
Mancsty was the chief object of Oglethorpe
and his followers, one of the latter was
nevertheless dispatched to the public office
of Liverpool with news of Manesty's fresh
atrocity, (which Oglethorpe had witnessed on
approaching the group,) and with a requisi-
tion for assistance on the spot. This as-
tounding news was buzzed about, and reached
the ears of the Moravian.
Hugh was inimediately taken into cus-
tody ; and the surgeon having, as well as he
was able, examined Colonel Stanley's wound,
ordered him to be placed in the litter, and
conveyed to his own house. Young Manesty,
the officer who had charge of him, and
Ozias Rheinenberger, then proceeded to the
magistrate's office, where, after examination,
JOHN MANESTY. 223
Hugh was held to bail to appear, should any
charge be made against him. His sureties
were the Moravian, and another of the
" Unitas Fratrum ;" the former of whom
took the afflicted young man to his (Rhein-
enberger's) own house.
News was brought to them, in the course
of the night, that Stanley had expired on
the litter, as they were carrying him home.
JOHN MANESTY. 225
CHAPTER XXVI.
LAWYER VARNHAM'S PERFIDY AND ITS RESULTS —
MRS. YARINGTON AND MARY STANLEY.
John Manesty had not long left Varnham's
house before that respectable attorney,
having sent away the constables in the pas-
sage, took counsel with himself how far he
might be able to obtain possession of the
secrets contained in the portmanteau, and
yet secure the five hundred pounds for
delivering it to the person authorized by
L 3
22G JOHN MANESTY.
Mancsty to receive it. In this interesting
and ull-absorbing contemplation, he was
oblivious of Mr. Mott in his narrow prison.
Having ordered his clerk to deny him to
any applicant, the lawyer took the portman-
teau from his iron chest, inspected the lock
and seals, and soon determined on further
proceedings.
If the rules of honour and common
honesty cannot withhold a man from doing
wrong, other impediments offer but feeble
resistance. " A mould," thought Ezekiel,
" might be taken from the seals, and coun-
terfeits be thus obtained."
The lock was evidently a good one, and
could not easily be picked nor opened by
such keys as Varnham possessed; but then,
with a little patience and dexterity, the
JOHN MANESTY. 227
rivets might be withdrawn and refastened.
In patience and dexterity the lawyer was
not deficient ; so he applied himself to his
task, and, having formed what are called
matrices of the diiferent seals capable of re-
newing the impressions, he melted and dis-
engaged the wax. His next process was to
withdraw the rivets by which the hasp of
the lock was fastened. This was so adroitly
accomplished as not to threaten any diffi-
culty in the work of restoration. The con-
tents of the portmanteau were thus placed
in Varnham's power.
Mysterious indeed, but wise and blessed,
are the works of the Creator ! His mighty
protection is manifest even in the acts of
daring men. Was not Jeroboam tempted
to stretch out his hand against the man of
228 JOIIX MAN EST Y.
God at the altar in Bethel? And did he
not, by so doing, draw down a withering
curse upon his arm, and bring evil on all his
descendants ? Without a consideration
such as this, it might seem marvellous that
so cautious and crafty a man as John
Manesty should leave writings from which
(ambiguous and fragmentary as they were)
it might be possible to form damning con-
clusions. But so it was.
The lirst paper which Varnham drew
forth was a diary, embracing not only cer-
tain memorandums leading to an inference
of the gradual and long-sighted treachery
by which he had undermined the elder
Hibblethwaite, but some obscure hints only
intelligible on the supposition, that, by sub-
tle poison, brought from the West Indies,
JOUX MAKESTY.
he had I that ti: Jting man in
the memorable in the corn-store. J
kill him was unquestionably more merciful
• : viHanoi
him to J In the present day the
latter is the current plan among unprincipled
men. That Man sty si sc \ farmer
: charity for his i
tim, but because he thought the sfa
1 the ' st X. n
mbling appreJ si his
papa 3 ' H ■ A v. |gter»
holme. His b
r might have been hie was
a ni in the fulfilment . .ri-
tual jr.
read m II <_
k Hibbkthwail . md
230 JOIIN MANESTY.
spendthrift as lie was, retained a wreck of
his property ; that he could yet pay hand-
somely for such information as was developed
in the written document, which afforded
evidence sufficient of the foul practices of
Manesty towards his father and himself.
To young Hibblethwaite, therefore, Varn-
ham immediately repaired; and, after re-
presenting that he had facts of vital import-
ance to communicate, and binding him to
secrecy, obtained from him a valuable
douceur. Dick's astonishment at the inter-
pretation which he could not fail giving to
the writer's memorandums, was overcome by
a spirit of vengeance against him whom he
now believed to be the destroyer of his
father; and he swore never to rest till he
had hunted him even to death. Hearing
JOHN MANESTY. 231
that Oglethorpe had a warrant to apprehend
Manesty, the young man attached himself to
the pursuing party — provided horses for
every member of it, and was himself mounted
on his blood-mare, Jessy.
On returning to his house, and again
secluding himself in his room, with a view
to a further examination of the portman-
teau, Varnham was startled by a low knock-
ing, seemingly against the wainscot. Guilt
startles at trifles. Ezekiel looked round in
dismay; but no one was in the apartment
except himself 1 . Again the knocking was
heard, and for a moment the lawyer under-
went a tremor at the idea that some invisible
agent was rebuking his treachery. " Let
me out !" cried a voice ; and then, though
not till then, did the lawyer recollect that
232 JOHN MANESTY.
Mott was locked in the parlour closet. Hur-
rying the portmanteau out of sight, Vara-
ham released the prisoner, who, staggering
forward, sank exhausted into a chair.
" Why, you look ill, my friend," said
Ezekiel, opening the window, and admitting
air.
" Enough to make a man look ill, and
feel ill, too," returned Mott. " I've been
jammed upright in that infernal cupboard
two hours at least. Why didn't you let me
out before you went out yourself?"
" I was called away by pressing business,
and actually forgot you, Mott," replied
Varnham. " Shall I order you some re-
freshment?"
" No," said Mr. Mott, sulkily. " To
speak upright and downright, Mr. Varn-
JOHN MANESTY. 2oo
ham, I am able to prove that you've took
and compounded felony. If you hadn't
opened that closet door, I should have took
John Manesty upon a charge of murder, as
sure as eggs is eggs."
" Not you," responded the lawyer. " I
mean no offence to you, Mott, hut two bet-
ter men than you would have been required
to secure the merchant. Talk no more
nonsense, man; but be thankful that by
providing you with a retreat, I prevented
the blowing out of your brains by John
Manesty's pistol."
" When an officer 's on service," observed
Mott, with a dogged air, " aint it his duty
to expose his precious life to all hazards?
Though I'm a husband and a father, Mr.
Yarnham, and have three small babbies and
234 JOHN MANESTY.
a wife to provide for, yet my body belongs
to our sovereign lord the king, in the exe-
cution of the statutes us by law "
u I know all about that," interrupted
Varnham. " Say no more. Here are a
couple of guineas for you."
u I don't think it's altogether agreeable
to my duty to take 'em," returned Mott,
handling the money. " I never, in all my
life, took a bribe, 'specially on service."
" But you are not on service now," ob-
served the lawyer. " Besides, you know
you can trust me. Put the coin in your
pocket, Mott, and say no more about it."
The constable did as he was bidden.
Then, assuming a very grave and important
face, he said —
" There's another thing, Mr. Varnham,
JOHN MANESTY. 235
which you and I must just understand
one another about, afore I leave this
room."
" Why, what's the matter now?" de-
manded Ezekiel, in a trembling voice.
" I see you through the key-hole," pur-
sued Mr. Mott, " a taking moulds of seals,
and drawing out of rivets from a lock to a
portmantel. It may be all right, you
know, or it mayn't; but if any question
about papers in a portmantel should ever
come up, and I should be put upon my
bodily oath as to what I see when I was
locked into the cupboard, I must speak the
truth, Mr. Varnham. It's clean agen the
law to commit perjury."
The lawyer shook from head to foot.
Oh, how he cursed his forgetfulness ! His
236 JOHN MAN EST Y.
gulden project was in danger of a disgrace-
ful miscarriage. What was to be done?
" My good friend," said Varnham, coax-
iugly, " what you saw me do, was done
from the best motives. You will, I am
sure, believe me when I say so. But one is
obliged sometimes to do good by stealth, as
the saying is, and I wish to confer a benefit
without any one suspecting me as the agent.
You understand me. So strong, indeed, is
this desire of mine, and so benevolent arc
my intentions, that I am disposed to make
it worth your while to be silent on this
head. In short, I'll give you something
handsome, Mott."
" How much ?"
" Why, twenty guineas. There! What
think you of that?" said Varnham, as if
he were offering an unheard-of treasure.
JOnN MANESTY. 237
" It's no go," responded Mott. " Twenty
guineas ! Do yon think I can forget such
a caper as that for twenty guineas? No,
no; I must have fifty at least."
" Yon are hard with me," said the
lawyer. " But come, as I hate quarrelling,
here's the money. You are a fortunate
man, Master Measly."
Things had indeed that morning turned
out well for Mott ; and he chuckled in his
sleeve at having, by a mere accident, and
without much trouble, gained so much
more than Oglethorpe was likely to obtain,
even on severe and hazardous service. Varn-
ham and his friend now separated with
mutual smiles; but the former was not
quite so silly a rogue as to feel altogether
secure that his secret in Mott's hands was
238 JOIIN MANESTY.
inviolable. Neither did Mott mean that it
should be so, if a good opportunity were to
offer. No popular fallacy is so great as the
adage, " Honour among thieves."
" Fifty-two guineas gone!" exclaimed
Varnham. " A trifle more than my fee
from Hibblethwaite. And, worse than all,
I am in the power of that scoundrel Mott.
What could have possessed me to forget
him? I was too hot upon my gains. Fool,
fool! I wish Mott had been fairly suffo-
cated in the closet, and tumbled out a heavy
corpse when the door was opened. I shall
be a slave to that fellow as long as I live.
Well, it can't be helped. Fate was against
me."
It was some time before the lawyer re-
sumed his examination of the portman-
teau.
JOHN MANESTY. 239
Meanwhile, intelligence of Manesty's
flight — of his last atrocious deed, and of
Hugh's apprehension as a supposed accessory
in the murder of George Stanley, reached
Eaglemont. Sir Hildebrand was at first
overpoweringly amazed and virtuously in-
dignant. These emotions, however, gradu-
ally gave way to a feeling of self-congratu-
lation that John Manesty's guilt might, in
the end absolve him (the baronet) from cer-
tain heavy liabilities he was under to the
merchant. Sir Hildebrand was no party
in the murder of his nephew. Why, then,
should he suffer his lamentation at that event
to blind him to the " goods the gods pro-
vided?" So truly does the old proverb say,
" It is an ill wind indeed that benefits no
one !" And so surely does love of self blind
some men to the sufferings of others.
240 JOHN MANESTY.
But a far different effect was produced by
the news on the hearts of Mary Stanley and
Mrs. Yarington. The former of these ladies
was distracted when informed of the violent
fate of her cousin, and the supposed peril of
Hugh. The latter was breathless, as if she
heard the voice of Fate, after long silence,
announcing a terrible consummation.
" A long and fearful tragedy has passed
before my eyes," said the widow to Mary
Stanley; "but I feel that the catastrophe
is fast approaching. John Manesty will
never be taken alive, depend on that. He
cannot, however, escape — he cannot escape !
His last journey has come. He is flying,
with whirlwind speed, to death. Dreadful
reprobate as he is, I cannot help pitying
him. My heart is overladen. Bear with
JOHN MANESTY. 241
me, Mary!" continued she, bursting into a
passionate flood of tears.
The deepening mystery which hung over
Mrs. Yarington drew Mary Stanley from
her own sorrows, for not even these could
hinder the strong emotion of curiosity.
She burned with impatience to learn the
strange facts concealed in the widow's
bosom. But so bitter seemed the sufferings
of the latter, that Mary viewed them with
silent respect; and Mrs. Yarington, after
endeavouring without success to regain her
composure, retired to the solitude of her
own room. Her meditations there are
known only to herself and Heaven.
In the morning, she appeared more calm
and collected, though something in her
VOL. II. M
242 JOHN MANESTY.
demeanour seemed to indicate that her
serenity was forced. She inquired of the
servants if any fresh news had been heard
of Manesty. On their answering in the
negative, she expressed surprise, adding,
" He cannot escape : the world is not wide
enough to afford him a hiding-place.
Wretched man ! he will never sleep again,
unless it be the final sleep."
" And Hugh," said Mary Stanley —
"surely Hugh can be in no danger? He
is too good — too honourable to be impli-
cated in the deeds of his father."
" His father ! " echoed Mrs. Yarington.
" Why do you call John Manesty his
father?"
"Alas!" responded Mary, "perhaps I
have betrayed his confidence. You, dear
JOHN MANESTY. 243
Mrs. Yarington, will not, I am sure, take
advantage of ray want of caution."
"Did he tell you this himself?" asked
the widow.
"Yes."
" Poor Hugh ! What must be his agony ! "
ejaculated Mrs. Yarington. "For many
years," continued she, "the great longing
of my heart has been to visit Wolsterholme
Castle. This could not be gratified, be-
cause the place had fallen, by purchase,
into the hands of John Manesty, and be-
cause I heard he visited it frequently. I
have already told you, that not for worlds
would I stand in presence of that man.
But when his career shall be over — when
the grave has closed on him — I would fain
again see Wolsterholme. It was the haunt
m 2
244 JOIIN MANESTY.
of my youth, Mary. Will you go thither
with me ? "
" Willingly," responded Miss Stanley.
" And Hugh shall go with us too," said
Mrs. Yarington. " The place is deserted,
vacant, and in ruins; but I am told its
quaint and formal garden still exists ; and
one of the rooms, called the garden-room,
has been kept in repair by John Manesty.
That he should go to this room once a-year,
and seclude himself in it, is the only good
thing I know of the ruthless merchant.
God knows he had reason enough to make
an annual vigil there ! To stand once more
in that room, with young Manesty and you,
Mary, by my side, will indeed be balm to
my heart."
" You have often, by obscure hints, dearest
JOHN MANESTY. 245
Mrs. Yarington," said Mary, " roused my
curiosity. You speak of Manesty and Hugh,
as if in your hands, and yours alone, some
all-important secret touching them was de-
posited."
" Not of themselves only," responded the
widow.
"Of whom else?" interrogated Mary.
" Speak !"
" Of myself," said Mrs. Yarington, in a
faltering tone.
" Then why not confide in me?" pursued
Miss Stanley. " You know how my life
is bound up in that of Hugh. I cherish,
moreover, a deep and affectionate interest
in yourself. Judge, then, how torturing
to me is this suspense."
" I may not speak," hurriedly exclaimed
246 JOHN MANESTY.
Mrs. Yarington, " while John Manesty lives.
After his death — for his speedy doom is
inevitable — we will go to Wolsterholme.
Something will be found in the garden-
room to corroborate my story. Then and
there, you shall know all."
JOHN MANESTY. 247
CHAPTER XXVII.
THE FLIGHT AND PURSUIT — THE ENCOUNTER.
Away, away, away, with almost lightning
speed, flew Manesty, while Oglethorpe, an-
other constable, and Hibblethwaite, rushed
on his track as if they were hunting some
foul beast of prey. At starting from Wa-
vertree, the merchant was about a hundred
yards a-head of his pursuers, an advantage
which his white mare, Prue, was not long in
248 JOHN MANESTY.
increasing. Whether Manesty had any spe-
cific object to attain in the course lie took,
will presently appear ; hut certain it is he
avoided the banks of the Mersey, and
struck eastward across the county. Words
of encouragement to his mare were mingled
with sharp strokes of the spur, and Prue,
being in good condition, kept up the ad-
vance she had gained.
Still the man-hunters were not far be-
hind. Manesty could plainly distinguish
between the shouts of Oglethorpe and HiTb-
blethwaite, and even heard the rapid tramp-
ing of their horses. He nevertheless would
not suffer any distrust, however slight, to
cross his mind, but fully relied on the known
fleetness, blood, and constancy of his mare.
" Well done, Prue !" said he, patting her
JOIIN BIANESTY. 249
neck. " Thou only canst save thy master.
Keep up, old lass ! we shall have a hard run.
I know thou canst do it, Prue. Keep up !"
Thus encouraged, the good steed, as if
she had understood her master's words,
strained her limbs, and, in a few minutes,
the sound of the pursuers, though still heard,
grew more and more faint; and Manesty,
having already reached Knotty Ash, (a dis-
tance of four miles,) took the road towards
Prescot, hoping in the next four miles to
get further from those who were chasing
him, and intending as he approached the
town, to avoid it by diverging from the
highway, with a view to baffle Oglethorpe
and Hibblethwaite, who he thought would
be likely to lose time in the streets by mak-
ing fruitless inquiries after him.
m 3
250 JOHN MANESTY.
Prue still kept gallantly a-liead. In a
little time the lights of Prescot were visible.
Manesty glanced rapidly behind him ; but,
though the moon was bright, he could
discern nothing of the pursuing party,
neither did any noise indicate their ap-
proach.
" Bravo, Prue I" exclaimed he. " I knew
thou wouldst try their mettle. But the
race is not won yet, my lass. On, on !"
Putting in practice his plan of making
a circuit outside the town, in order, accord-
ing to hunting phraseology, to " balk the
scent," Manesty turned into a by-lane, and
his mare having leaped a clumsy gate, the
horse and rider were soon in open fields.
Hedges and ditches were no impediment to
their headlong speed. About two miles
JOHN MANESTY. 251
were thus traversed, when the fugitive
thought it best once more to take the road,
which he soon regained. Here he had the
mortification to find that his manoeuvre had
failed, and that, by doubling the distance in
his circuit, he had given great advantage to
Oglethorpe and Hibblethwaite, whom he
now heard close in the rear. The race be-
came more desperate than ever ; but seeing
that his mare was still in good wind, Ma-
nesty uttered a few coaxing words, gave her
a taste of the spur, and the poor animal,
once more making a tremendous effort,
seemed rather to fly than to run.
It was now getting rather late; and as
Manesty dashed through Kainhill, he per-
ceived that the houses were all closed. Bold
and Sankey were soon left behind; and on
252 JOHN MANESTY.
crossing Sankcy Bridge, the fugitive had the
gratification to find that his pursuers were
again at a considerable distance from him.
A few minutes more brought him into the
main street of Warrington.
" Poor Prue!" said Manesty, " thou hast
done this eighteen miles gloriously. All!
thou dartest a sidelong glance at that inn ;
but we mustn't stop here, my lass. Away,
away !"
Arriving at Martin's Croft Green, Ma-
nesty perceived the first formidable obstacle
lie had yet encountered — namely, a turn-
pike. Both the gate and lodge were closed.
His very life hung upon the few moments
that must be lost by rousing the gate-
keeper. Prue shewed a little sign of dis-
tress; but, hit or miss, she must take the
JOHN MANESTY. 253
leap. Mancsty knew how to humour her.
Making a tremendous exertion, the noble
creature sprang into the air, and both man
and horse descended safely on the other
side the gate.
"Well done, Prue!" said Manesty.
" Oglethorpe and his follower will never
be able to manage that. Dick might, per-
haps ; but the others must be left behind.
Even if Dick comes up with me, it will be
only man to man ; and I don't mind that,
though it won't do to provoke an encounter,
as the other fellows will still be in the rear."
Oglethorpe, his follower, and Hibble-
thwaite soon came in view of the gate.
" Confound it!" ejaculated Dick, " Manesty
has leaped that 'pike. We shall lose him
unless we do the same."
254 JOHN MANESTY.
" I wouldn't attempt it for a hundred
pound," gasped Oglethorpe, who was al-
ready pretty nearly exhausted. " Besides,
I don't know how. I should be smashed
to atoms; I'm sure I should."
" You're a fool, Oliver," returned Dick.
" I'm not going to be foiled in this way.
We're near the gate now. My mare must
take it at all hazards. You will follow as
well as you can. Here goes ! "
If Hibblethwaite's mare was not so tho-
rough-bred as Manesty's, yet as Dick was
a much lighter man than the merchant,
the leap was pretty well accomplished.
Oglethorpe now thumped at the door of
the lodge. It was no easy matter to wake
the inmate, but at last he appeared; and,
amidst a torrent of maledictions from the
constable, opened the gate.
JOHN MANESTY. 255
"We'll do our best, Tom," said Oglethorpe
to his companion, as they spurred on again.
" We're obligated to do that, you know, as
officers, to say nothing of the blood-money.
It's lucky, however, we've got rid of Mr.
Hibblethwaite. He kept us too tight at it.
I'm blest if both I and my horse arn't
thoroughly blown. John Manesty rides
like the devil. We won't give in just
yet, though there's no manner of use in
following him. Come on, Tom ; but we'll
take it a little more easy this time."
Manesty was now considerably in advance
even of Hibblethwaite. On, on, at full
speed passed he through Bixton and Cadis-
head Green. Arriving at Irlam, and per-
ceiving that poor Prue seemed much ex-
hausted, he was tempted to stop and bait at
" The Nag's Head," from the bar of which
25 G JOHN MANESTY.
a, cheering light threw its beams across the
road. Alas, he must not pause! If his
mare could hold on eight miles more he
should be in Manchester, in the intricacy
of whose by-streets he might refresh him-
self and horse without much danger of
being traced by Ilibblethwaite.
Prue was now covered with foam, out of
wind, and labouring terribly. Manesty,
knowing that Dick's horse could not fail
to be equally distressed, allowed the poor
creature to take her own pace, which,
though not so fleet as before, got over the
ground rapidly. On, on ! Peel Green, Eccles,
and Pendleton were soon left behind ; and
having crossed Salford Bridge, the fugitive
soon found himself in the thick of Man-
chester.
It was now between twelve and one at
JOHN MANESTY. 257
night; yet Manesty succeeded in gaining
admission to an obscure inn, situated in
a squalid part of the town; and having
consigned Prue to the care of the ostler,
with all manner of tender injunctions, our
fugitive recruited himself with a glass of
brandy-and- water. Wonderful were his
coolness and self-possession! How knew
he whether a " hue and cry" was not
raised against him over the whole country ?
His mare had evidently been ridden within
an inch of her life; and his appearance in
such a part of the town at such an hour
was calculated to excite suspicion. In
spite of all this, Manesty talked with the
ostler as if nothing had happened ; went to
the stable to see that True had been well
tended, and then sat down, with seeming
unconcern, to a cold supper.
258 JOHN MANESTY.
"I shall be in no hurry," said he to
himself. " Prue must have some rest, poor
thing ! I could manage, I dare say, to get
a fresh horse here in Manchester, but on
no other than Prue can I place reliance.
Dick Hibblethwaite must, by this time, be
somewhere about the town. If lie gets
another horse, he'll shoot a-head of me ; and
as he can't know the direction Pm going
to take, he'll be confoundedly out in his
reckoning. If he keeps to his own mare,
why she'll need the stable as much as mine.
As to Oglethorpe and the other fellow, I
value them not a rush on the road.
There's no hurry. I doubt if Prue will
be fit for work again this morning ; at all
events, she must have as much rest as pos-
sible. If I can gain the point I seek, I
JOHN MANESTY. 259
can conceal myself there awhile and baffle
pursuit; after which, I must stretch across
to Hull, disguised, and on foot — a weary
way — and bribe some skipper to take me
afloat, and set sail. Dick Hibblethwaite !
What in the devil's name can have induced
that fellow to hunt me in this fashion?
Is he so reduced as to have become a con-
stable? Or can he have discovered
Pshaw ! I will not think of it. Landlord,"
continued he, making an effort to throw
off dismal ruminations, " landlord, another
glass of brandy-and- water — hot and strong."
Thus resting and recruiting his strength,
he remained two hours. Often, and sor-
rowfully, his thoughts reverted to Hugh.
"My son, my dear son!" he inwardly ex-
claimed, "bitterly wilt thou suffer for the
2G0 JOUN MANESTY.
crimes of thy father ! How shall I convey
to thee the documents it is necessary thou
shouldst receive? I shall never see thee
again, Hugh — never! Misery, misery!"
Eousing again from his grief, he prepared
for a renewal of flight; ordered and deli-
berately settled his bill; and then accom-
panied the ostler to the stable. Prue was
again saddled. As he patted her neck
and smoothed her mane, the noble animal
knew her master's hand, and neighed, as
much as to say she would try once more to
carry him. Having mounted, Manesty
took his course along Mosley Street, in the
direction of the Oldham Road, by which he
quitted Manchester.
To his great relief, the moon had now
sunk : darkness would favour his progress,
JOHN MANESTY. 261
and above an honr must elapse before clay-
break. He might yet gain the temporary
refuge he sought. Newton Heath, Hollin
Wood, and Oldham, were passed without
any incident to excite the fugitive's appre-
hension; but he was a little startled at
Green- Acres-Moor, on hearing, in the dis-
tance behind him, a sound as of a horse's
galloping. This grew more and more dis-
tinct, and came r> oarer and nearer.
" H — 11 and the devil !" exclaimed he,
" I shall be overtaken, after all!"
Manesty now endeavoured to urge Prue
to her former speed, and the poor animal
did her best. Her heart was good, but her
limbs were stiff; for, excepting her rest at
Manchester, she had been hard at work
since the preceding forenoon. A few words
262 JOIIN MANESTY.
from her master, however, so animated her,
that she sprang forward gallantly. But the
temporary excitement soon flagged : she re-
lapsed into weariness, thus enabling the
horseman in pursuit to come up.
" I have you now, John Manesty I"
roared Hibblethwaite. " Yield ! or by ,
I'll shoot you as I would a mad dog ! Sur-
render, murderer!"
One of the most critical moments of
Manesty 's life had now arrived. He met it
as he had met the others, with entire pre-
sence of mind. Some of the most valuable
attributes of man are often possessed by vil-
lains ; and so it was in the present instance.
The purest and most lofty-minded hero could
not be more resolute and firm than Manesty
shewed himself under the weight of all his
JOHN MANESTY. 263
atrocities, and with destruction staring him
in the face.
" Get thee back, Richard Hibblethwaite !"
said he, taking a pistol from the holster and
cocking it. " Get thee back! I would not
willingly do thee harm. Why dost thou
thirst for my blood ?"
" Blood!" repeated Hibblethwaite, grind-
ing his teeth as he spoke, and keeping close
to the merchant — " I marvel, John Ma-
nesty, that you can utter that word. I am
here to revenge my father's death !"
On hearing these words, Manesty shook
in his saddle. Though not prepared for
such knowledge on the part of his pursuer,
he, nevertheless, soon recovered his self-
possession.
" No more parley," continued Hibble-
thwaite. " Yield, or meet your end !"
2G4 JOnN MANESTY.
" I do not see the necessity for one or
the other," retorted the merchant, coolly.
" Man to man — blood for blood!"
So saying, he presented his pistol full at
ITibblethwaite, and fired. The latter was
even with him, and discharged his "pistol at
the same instant. Manesty tumbled from
his horse, and fell, a senseless and bloody
heap, on the ground. Ilibblethwaite, too,
was hit, having received the ball in his
bridle arm.
-
■■
n
JOHN MANESTY. 265
CHAPTER XXVIII.
THE PARTY AT WOLSTERHOLME — THE OLD OAK
CABINET MRS. YARINGTON's RECITAL — A SUR-
PRISE.
Hibblethwaite's left arm hung uselessly by
his side. The horse he rode was strange to
him, havinc: been hired at Manchester,
where he left Jessy thoroughly blown, and
unable to go on. His present steed was a
nettlesome beast, and being unfamiliar with
its rider, did not seem to comprehend the
VOL. II. N
266 JOIIN MANESTY.
transfer of the bridle to the right hand.
Jessy would have known better.
But though the horse shyed and reared, and
though Dick was writhing with pain, he con-
trived, nevertheless, being a thorough eques-
trian, to convince his stee d that its caprices
were altogether erroneous and absurd ; and,
having forced the animal to adopt a more
decent and befitting line of conduct, drew
close to Manesty, and contemplated him (as
well as starlight would permit) as he lay
bleeding on the groun d. Prue stood with-
out motion by her master's side, looking
piteously down on him, and rubbing her
face against his.
" He's dead !" ruminated Hibblethwaite.
" There he lies, with a huge mountain of
iniquities over him. God help us all ! I
JOHN MANESTY. 267
slew him in self-defence; and that is the
law of nature. A casuist might ask why I
hunted him so unrelentingly. I would an-
swer, ' Revenge for a father's murder !'
Nevertheless, it is, perhaps, fortunate for
my soul that I killed him in personal con-
flict. This, however, rests on my unsup-
ported testimony. How will it fare with
me, if I am found here by the body? I
must retreat to Manchester, get my wound
dressed, and let things take their course."
Thus saying, Hibblethwaite turned his
horse's head and left the spot.
Though he would hardly admit it to
himself, Dick, for some years, had been
studying in the school of adversity. True,
he had carried things with a high hand —
maintained a gay exterior — laughed and
N 2
268 JOIIN MANESTY.
joked, and drank and frolicked, and betted
and lost, as if nothing more was necessary
than to cry " Presto ! and let the world pass."
But after all, this is the mere fever of des-
peration. Thought, ever and anon, would
force its way ; and then the consciousness
of time mis-spent — of money recklessly
wasted — of character lost — of health in-
jured — of miserable identity with vagabond
gamblers — of criminal connivance, and the
consequent forfeiture of self-respect, occa-
sioned a fearful re-action which, in its turn,
created a necessity for new and more in-
tense dissipation — a remedy worse than the
disease .
Hibblethwaite latterly, however, was
sobered. As one of a reckless set of
gamesters, who had robbed Lord Silverstick
on the highway, the halter hung over his
JOHN MANESTY. 269
head, and he knew it was prevented from
falling only by the Earl's pride and paternal
feeling, which could not suffer the appear-
ance of his son (Lord Eandy) as partice])S
criminis. Then Hibblethwaite had wit-
nessed the shedding of Sir Theobald Chil-
lingworth's blood, and had been compelled
to lurk in holes and corners to avoid the
pursuit of the law.
From the stupor brought about by all
this, he was roused only by the insight he
had obtained into Manesty's foul and deadly
practices. A spirit of vengeance, thus ex-
cited, took possession of his soul, and drove
him to break into what Shakspeare calls
" the bloody house of life." No wonder
Dick learned the art of melancholy rumina-
tion, and self-reproach.
Oglethorpe and his man, unable to keep
270 JOHN MANESTY.
up the chase farther than Irlam, had yielded
to the fascinations of " The Nag's Head,"
in that place ; and after swallowing pretty
considerable potations of mixed liquor, ren-
dered more captivating by the stout land-
lady who prepared it, returned to Liverpool,
there to " hide their diminished heads,"
and to await the course of events.
Early next day (for ghastly news flies
quickly) the encounter between Hibble-
thwaite and Manesty was bruited about the
town; and, though Dick was not forthcom-
ing, Manesty's death was proclaimed. The
dismal intelligence, of course, reached Ma-
nesty's office in Pool Lane, the house of
Ozias Kheinenberger, and the mansion of
Sir Hildebrand Stanley.
Robin Shuckleborough was so bewildered
JOHN MANESTY. 271
at the misdeeds and danger of his master,
that during the last day he scarcely knew
whether he stood on his head or his heels.
The poor fellow did nothing but walk about
the counting-house, crying like a child and
refusing to be comforted. The present dole-
ful news froze the very blood in his veins.
" What will become of me now?" he kept
saying to himself. " What is the use of all
these ledgers and day-books ? How is the
trade of Liverpool to go on, now that John
Manesty is slain? I wish I was dead with
him. Oh, my unfortunate master !"
But who shall paint the agony of Hugh ?
His father's crimes were all forgotten in the
knowledge of his dreadful end.
Nor did Mrs. Yarington feel it less
keenly. She had seen the approach of the
272 JOHN MANESTY.
catastrophe ; but now it had come to pass,
she dared not contemplate it. Still she
had a duty to perform to Hugh and Mary,
and this she resolved not to delay. From
what she had privately heard from the old
gardener, who had charge of the manor-
house at Wolsterholme, Mrs. Yarington
knew that Manesty had deposited many
documents under lock and key in the garden-
room of that mansion, and she doubted not
that other evidences capable of corrobo-
rating her story, Avould there be found. She
would not, therefore, divulge what she knew
till surrounded by testimonials of her ve-
racity.
An urgent summons was sent to Hugh,
who soon appeared at Eaglemont. A car-
riage was at the door, and at eleven o'clock
JOHN MANESTY. 273
in the forenoon, the three friends started for
Wolsterholme. Their journey was a me-
lancholy and silent one ; but, with frequent
and quick change of horses, it was so
speedily accomplished, that they reached
the venerable manor-house at four in the
afternoon. Like one familiar with the spot,
Mrs. Yarington at once found her way to
the garden-room, where a humble repast
was placed before our travellers by the gar-
dener, who, after they were refreshed,
placed in Hugh's hands a sealed packet di-
rected to him, to be opened only in case
of the merchant's death. This had been de-
posited with the gardener just previously
to Mancsty's last voyage to the West Indies.
It contained a key of the old oak cabinet
which stood in the room where the party
n 3
274 JOHN MANESTY.
wore assembled. This was the key which
Manesty had given to Hugh when he sailed
lor Antigua in 1760, but which he had re-
claimed on his return to Liverpool.
The cabinet was found to contain
the title-deeds of Wolsterholme Castle, or
Manor-House, together with other parch-
ments, proving the purchase by Manesty of
all the lands and tenements originally be-
longing to the estate. By the merchant's
will, also enclosed in the old cabinet, the
entire property, as well as that of the con-
cern in Liverpool, was bequeathed to his
" dear son, Hugh Manesty." Of the lega-
cies, the principal was a bequest of four
thousand pounds to " his diligent and faith-
ful clerk, Robin Shuckleborough." Tied
up with the will was a letter addressed to
JOHN MANESTY. 275
Hugh, (dated on his first departure to the
West Indies,) which ran as follows: —
" My dear Hugh,
" It will not be prudent to encounter
the perils inseparable from a sea-voyage
without ' putting my house in order,' in case
any fatal accident should happen to me. I
have spoken to you of the old oak cabinet
in the garden-room at Wolsterholme, and
given you the key. In it are deposited my
will, and other papers, wherein you at least
will take a tender interest.
" By successive purchases, the whole of
the estate of Wolsterholme is mine; and I
have become its master with the sole motive
of endowing you with it, as the only re-
maining representative of the family. You
270 JOHN MANESTY.
believe yourself to be a Wolsterholme, and
so, in one sense, you are, being the son of a
lady of that name, who was married to me.
You are, therefore, my son, dear Hugh;
and not, as you have imagined, the offspring
of Cornet Wolsterholme, whose child died
in America.
" Among the papers in the oak cabinet,
you will find many letters from your mother,
addressed to me — letters which I have read
again and again, with streaming eyes, in
my solitary visits to the manor-house.
Bertha Manesty (formerly Miss Wolster-
holme, the only daughter of her house) has
been many years lost to me. She died
abroad; and with her died also what little
happiness remained to me in this life.
" If 1 perish at sea, do not be too curious
JOHN MANESTY. 277
in inquiring into the several passages of
my life ; and, above all, destroy without
examination whatever documents may be
found in the late Mr. Hibblethwaite's room
in my corn-store at Liverpool. Circum-
stances may occur to alter my decision
in this respect ; but this is my present wish.
Obey it.
" And now, my dear son, farewell ! Pre-
serve the pure and lofty character you have
hitherto maintained. My blessing on you !
" Your loving father,
"John Manesty.
" Pool Lane, Liverpool,
"12th of June, 1760."
This letter (written four years previ-
ously to the present time) being read aloud
278 JOUN MANESTY.
by Hugh, was heard with overpowering
emotion by Mrs. Yarington. For some
time, her tears overmastered her ; her
frame was convulsed, and she could not
speak. Mary and Hugh tried affectionately
to comfort her.
At length, the paroxysm having abated,
Mrs. Yarington produced a book she had
brought with her from Eaglemont, and
placed it in Hugh's hands.
" Eead the letters to which John Manesty
alludes," said she, " and then refer to that
book wherein I copied them previously to
their being dispatched."
" You?" exclaimed young Manesty, in
surprise.
" Yes !" returned she, in a broken voice,
" I am John Manesty 's widow."
JOHN MANESTY. 279
" Mother, mother !" gasped Hugh, throw-
ing his arms about her neck.
" Dear ! precious ! beloved !" were all
she could articulate as, almost fainting, she
fondly returned his embrace.
It was a trying moment to Mrs. Manesty,
and she struggled hard to sustain it ; but
her voice was again gone, and she sobbed
violently.
After a pause, but still not without an
effort, she said, "Dear Mary and dear
Hugh, I am going to recount the only action
of my life on which I look back with pain —
an action of deceit. But listen, and you
shall judge how grievously I was tempted.
Kiss me once again, Hugh. There ! Now
you shall learn how far I have forfeited
your love."
280 JOHN MANESTY.
There was another pause, during whieh
the widow, Avith a visage of constrained
iirnmess, seemed summoning strength to
support her during the utterance of what
she was about to disclose. Assuming a
calmness which she did not feel, she said, in
measured tones —
"I am not your mother, Hugh; neither
is John Manesty your father."
" For the love of Heaven, do not torture
me with suspense! Explain yourself!"
ejaculated Hugh.
" You shall know all," responded she.
" When my brother, Wilford Wolsterholme,
eloped with Hannah Manesty, John Manesty,
unsuspected by his father, paid his addresses
to me. This room was the scene of our
stolen meetings — the witness of many pure
and blessed moments. His earnestness and
JOHN MANESTY. 281
devotion won my heart, and when he was sent
to America, in pursuit of his sister, I accom-
panied him, having first been privately mar-
ried. We were away from England tAvo years ;
but even in that short space of time, my hus-
band frequently absented himself from me,
I knew not where, nor on what business;
and even when we were together, our har-
mony was often disturbed by his furious
expressions of hatred against my brother,
who, he said, had grossly insulted him.
Our meetings, however, were few, and at
long intervals. During one of his ab-
sences from me, which lasted three months,
I gave birth to a female child. You shall
hear more, presently ; let me pause a
little."
There was silence for awhile. Hugh and
Mary waited with eager anxiety for the
282 JOHN MANESTY.
continuation of the narrative, but with
entire deference to their friend.
" At this time," resumed the widow,
" and while John Manesty was away, news
came to me that my brother had been killed
in an obscure skirmish. It was not in any
military affair; but in some private affray.
If I was almost heart-broken at the news,
Wilford's widow was nearly mad with grief.
She expected, poor thing ! to be soon con-
fined ; but the agony of her sorrow brought
on premature labour. A son was born to
her, and she died. As my sister-in-law (a
solitary widow) perished in a far and foreign
land, destitute of friends, it was incumbent
on me to take charge of the infant. I did so;
and it shared with my own baby the nur-
ture of my breast, and the affection of my
JOHN MANESTY. 283
heart. I christened it ' Hugh,' after one
of my own ancestors."
" Let me still call you mother," said the
young man. " You have earned a right to
that sacred name. And am I then once
more a Wolsterholme ?"
" Yes: you are Sir Hugh Wolsterholme
— a title you inherit from your unfortunate
uncle, Sir Thomas. I have a baptismal
register, and other proofs substantiating
your claim."
" But is not the title lost by attainder?"
inquired Hugh.
"No; only in the person of my poor
brother, who has been dead many years."
Mary felt that all bar to her marriage with
Hugh was now removed. A timid glance at
the young baronet expressed her congratula-
284 J01IN MANESTY.
tion; but words of joy would have sounded
discordantly at a time so laden with me-
lancholy interest. Mary, therefore, dared
not trust herself to speak.
" I almost fear to ask what became of
your daughter," said Hugh to Mrs. Ma-
nesty ; " how it happened that the mer-
chant believed me to be his son ; and why
you'took the name of Yarington?"
" I well tell you all," replied she. " My
infant died soon after I took you — my bro-
ther Wilford's child — to my bosom. Ma-
nesty was still absent. On his return to me,
I told him that his sister and her child had
both died, and shewed you as his own off-
spring. His paternal pride was pleased at
beholding a son. A strong objection to the
name by which you had been christened,
JOHN MANESTY. 285
united with an absence of suspicion that
such a deceit had been practised on him as
the passing off his sister's child as his own,
prevented (so I conceive) his asking for the
baptismal register. The very day after I
perpetrated this fraud, I bitterly repented
it ; but it was too late to avow the truth,
and I dreaded the fury of his reproaches. I
have been miserable ever since; so long and
so unrelenting is the punishment of false-
hood."
Here the widow again paused in her nar-
ration. At length Hugh inquired why Ma-
nesty believed she was dead.
" Another of my contrivances," re-
sponded she ; " but you will regard this
more charitably, considering my extreme
provocation. Manesty again left me, on his
286 JOIIN MANESTY.
unexplained and inscrutable errands. I
was not long, however, in understanding
their object. I discovered that he was en-
gaged in piratical practices of the worst and
most cruel description, and that, under the
name of Captain Hoskins, he commanded a
notorious vessel called ' The Bloody Juno.'
This was told me by one of his sailors, in
revenge for some terrible punishment he
had received on board ; and from the same
man I also heard that Manesty — in rage at
a supposed affront — had waylaid and killed
my brother ; thus, by a natural consequence,
causing his own sister's death."
" Dreadful !" exclaimed Hugh. " Thank
Heaven that that man is not my father!
And yet how kind and affectionate has he
been to me ! I may mourn over his crimes,
but can never hate him."
JOHN MANESTY. 287
"As he has paid the dreadful forfei-
ture," returned the widow, " let us re-
member him in our prayers But I hasten
to conclude my story Having been
acquainted with his monstrous deeds, of
which, when once my eyes were opened,
fresh proofs poured in on me every day, you
will not wonder that I resolved never again
to receive such a man as my husband. A
message had been sent me announcing his
return on a certain day, on the eve of which I
departed from home, leaving a letter stating
the horrible discoveries I had made, and
adding that in grief and shame for him, and
horror at being his wife, I should destroy
myself. Such, indeed, was my first inten-
tion; though, when I reflected on the sin-
fulness of suicide, I resolved to come to
England, take a feigned name, and seek a
288 JOHN MANESTY.
livelihood. A heavy blow was thus in-
flicted on Manesty. He left his ship to be
commanded by proxy, started with you to
Liverpool, and addicted himself chiefly to
commercial pursuits; still, however, receiv-
ing accessions of wealth from his man-
stealing slave-ship. You now know all. I
humbly hope that God will pardon my du-
plicity."
Twilight was now coming on. A dis-
closure of secrets so long pent up in her
breast, had greatly agitated Mrs. Manesty;
and she walked out of the room to enjoy the
soothing influence of the fragrant evening
air in the garden — that quaint old quincun-
cial garden, among whose formal alleys
the days of her youth had been passed.
Mary and Hugh stayed within, that heart
JOHN MA NEST Y. 289
might speak to heart under the new pros-
pects opening on them.
Short space, however, was allowed for
their subdued felicitations. A loud shriek
suddenly burst on the stillness, followed by
the words, " John Manesty ! John Ma-
nesty !"
Mrs. Manesty, who had screamed these
words, rushed franticly into the house, and
hid herself; and Hugh, darting to the win-
dow, beheld a horseman at a short distance,
swaying to and fro on his saddle, like one in
a drunken fit. As he drew nearer, the
young man recognised his miserable uncle.
The rider's face could be likened only to a
marble bust, blank and fixed ; his eyes were
set ; and from his nerveless hand the bridle
VOL. II. .
290 JOHN MANESTY.
had dropped. The white mare, poor Prue,
seemed almost in as great extremity as her
master. It was even as an incarnation of
" Death on the Pale Horse."
But the beast knew her way ; sprang into
the garden, and then drew up. Manesty
lifted himself unoouthly from the saddle,
and dropped heavily on the earth. Hugh
darted towards him. A grim smile relaxed
the features of the dying man, as he stared
with a bewildered expression on him whom
he deemed to be his son. But though
speech was denied him, he had enough of
strength to tear open his waistcoat, (as if
appealing for help,) when his shirt, red in
every part with blood, was seen. Distracted
by terror, Hugh fetched the only servant in
the house, the old gardener, to the spot.
JOHN MANESTY. 291
Of what avail was anything they could do ?
Even had Manesty not been past all " skill
in surgery," professional aid could not he
procured in that remote place.
A reaction had now come over Mrs.
Manesty ; and her heart yearned once more
to look upon the beloved of her youth. She
approached the place where the gasping
wretch lay. In the delusion of his dying
moments, no doubt he took her for a vision.
Reverently clasping the hand she held out
to him, he pressed it to his lips, and then,
looking fondly with his dim eyes at Hugh,
drew a long breath, and expired.
Though mortally wounded by Ilibblc-
thwaite, the longing desire he had to reach
Wolstcrholmc, under a belief that he could
there secrete himself for a time, must have
292 JOIIN MANESTY.
given him preternatural strength, and ena-
bled him, after he had recovered the first
effect of the wound, to climb on Prue's back,
and crawl on to the bourne of his wishes.
How he was sustained during the long day,
can never be known.
JOHN MANESTY. 293
CHAPTER XXIX.
CONCLUSION.
Six months had elapsed since the foregoing
incident, and a change had taken place in
the relative position of some of the parties
concerned in this tale. Sir Hugh Wolster-
holme, being now a wealthy baronet, had
left the concern in Pool Lane to Robin
Shuckleborough, who, for a consideration,
had allowed Richard Ilibblethwaite to be-
come his partner. Having abjured his
294 JOHN MANESTY.
former associates, Dick proved a good man
of business, and by handsome presents to
Broken-nosed Bob, and Ebenezer Rowbo-
tham, secured their silence as to his partici-
pation in the robbery of Lord Silverstick.
Lawyer Varnham lost his expected live
hundred pounds when the portmanteau was
reclaimed by Hugh, in virtue of Manesty's
order, owing to the exposure which Measly
Mott had not failed to make. Lord Randy
had disappeared on a tour to Germany ; and
his father, the Earl of Silverstick, was busy
at court, propagating the proprieties of the
Chester lieldian code of morals, and trimming
between Lord Bute and Mr. Pitt, (after-
wards Lord Chatham.) The good and
pious Rheinenberger was often a welcome
guest at the manor-house at Wolsterholme,
JOHN MANESTY. 295
where Mrs. Manesty lived in seclusion ; and,
finally, with a pompous ceremony befitting
their rank, Sir Hugh Wolsterholme led to
the altar his beloved Mary Stanley.
THE END.
T. C. Savill, Printer, 107, St. Martin'i Lane.
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