The Story of Antony Grace Part 82

"What is the matter?" I said, as, instead of sitting down, he began to walk up and down the dining-room, taking pinch after pinch of snuff.

"Good heavens!" he exclaimed again.

"Is anything the matter, Mr Jabez?" I exclaimed.

"Good heavens! I say, Good heavens!" he repeated.

"What do you mean?" I said.

"Good heavens! Only to think of it, Grace!"

Another pinch of snuff.

"Only to think, my lad, that he might have had that woman--that lady! A girl as beautiful in her mind as she is in her face. Why, Grace, my boy, I'm an old snuffy bachelor because my opportunity never came, but if I could have married such a woman as that--Hah! some men are born to be fools!"

"And you think Mr Lister was a fool?"

"Fool, sir? He was ten thousand times worse. But there! the sun don't s.h.i.+ne on me every day, my boy! We'll go upstairs at once, and let it s.h.i.+ne upon me again."

I never liked Mr Jabez one-half so well before. It was delightful to me, who quite wors.h.i.+pped Miss Carr, to see the old man's genuine admiration. He seemed quite transformed, and looked younger. In fact, no sooner were we upstairs, where Miss Carr was sitting with the urn singing on the tea-table, than he relieved me of a difficulty by opening the question of business himself.

"My dear young lady," he said, as he sat down, and began rubbing one thin little leg, "I know you'll excuse me for speaking so familiarly, but,"--he smiled--"I'm over sixty, and I should think you are not more than twenty-five."

Miss Carr smiled, and he went on.

"Our young friend Grace here tells me that you would like me to perform a little commission for you. I only wish to say that you may command me in any way, and to the best of my ability the work shall be done."

"Thank you, Mr Rowle," said our hostess. "Antony Grace said he felt sure I could not have a more suitable and trustworthy agent."

"I thank Antony Grace," said the old man, bowing to me ceremoniously, and taking out his snuff-box, which he hastily replaced.

"The fact is," said Miss Carr, hesitating, and her voice trembled and her face flushed slightly as she spoke, "I--oh, I will be plain," she said, as if determined to cast off all false shame; "Mr Rowle, I trust to you not to put a false construction on this act of mine. I am rich-- I am my own mistress, and I will do as I please, whatever the world may say."

"You are rich, you are your own mistress, and you have a right to do as you please, my dear young lady, whatever the world may say," a.s.sented Mr Jabez, tapping the lid of his snuff-box, which seemed as if it would not keep out of his hand.

"The fact is, Mr Rowle," continued Miss Carr, "there is a gentleman--a friend of Antony Grace here, who is struggling to perfect a new invention--a great invention."

Mr Jabez bowed, gazing at her animated countenance with open admiration the while.

"To perfect this invention, money is wanted."

"Exactly," said Mr Jabez, tapping his box softly. "Money is always useful."

"I wish this gentleman to have that money--as much as is necessary."

"You are rich; you are your own mistress; you have a right to do as you please, my dear young lady, whatever the world may say," said Mr Jabez, harping upon her words once more. "It is easily settled. Give it him."

"No," said Miss Carr, speaking with animation, "it is not easy. You forget what I say. This inventor is a gentleman."

"And would be too proud to take the money?" said Mr Jabez quickly.

"Yes," said Miss Carr. "He would not stoop to be under such an obligation. He would feel insulted--that he was lowering himself. I wish to help him," she said excitedly. "I would do anything to help him; but my hands are tied."

"Humph!" e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed Mr Jabez softly; "and you want me to help you?"

"Yes, oh yes! And you will?" cried Miss Carr.

"Of course I will, my dear young lady," said the old man; "but this requires thought. Would you excuse me if I took just one little pinch?"

"Oh, my dear Mr Rowle," cried Miss Carr, "pray do not use ceremony here. I asked you to come to me as a friend. Pray consider that you are one."

"Hah!" sighed Mr Jabez. "Now I can get on. Well, my dear young lady, surely we can find a way. In the first place, who is the gentleman?"

Miss Carr looked at me.

"Mr Hallett," I said, coming to her help.

"What? Our Mr Hallett?" said Mr Jabez.

"Yes, Mr Rowle."

"Hum! Well, I'm not surprised," he said. "He certainly always did seem to be a gentleman, and I was very sorry that he left our place. So he is working on a great invention, eh? Well, he is just the man who would. Then, the first thing is, how is it to be done?"

"Antony Grace thinks, Mr Rowle, that as you have the reputation of being a wealthy man--"

"Wealthy! why I lost five hundred pounds slap the other day by--Dear me!

Bless my soul! Oh, tut--tut--tut! What an a.s.s I am!" he muttered, taking refuge in a tremendous pinch of snuff, half of which powdered his white waistcoat and cravat.

"I am very sorry to hear that," said Miss Carr quietly.

"Oh, it was nothing. Pray go on, my dear young lady."

"Antony Grace thought that you might seek him out, and get into his confidence a little, and at last, after a show of interest in his work, ask him to let you become a sharer in the affair, on condition of your finding the necessary funds."

"Of your money?" said the old man, with a slight show of suspicion.

"Of course, Mr Rowle. Then, if he would consent, which he might do, thinking that he was favouring you, the matter would be settled."

"To be sure. Of course," said Mr Jabez thoughtfully. "And how far would you go, my dear young lady--forty or fifty pounds?"

"As far as was necessary, Mr Rowle. As many hundreds as he required."

Mr Jabez tapped his box, and sat thinking, gazing wonderingly and full of admiration at the animated countenance before him, as he softly bowed his head up and down.

"And you will do this for me, Mr Rowle?" she said.

"If you will trust me, Miss Carr, I will be your steward in this matter," he said quietly.