"No, no, my friend," said Mrs. Dodd, trembling, and still peering into his sparkling eyes. "Mr. Alfred Hardie is a gentleman, at all events: he would not take such a liberty with me, unless he had some excuse for it.""You are wonderfully shrewd, mamma," said Alfred admiringly. "The excuse is, I don't hate you as you hate me; and I am very happy.""Why do you call me mamma to-day? Oh, doctor, he calls me mamma.""Th' audacious vagabin.""No, no, I cannot think he would call me that unless he had some good news for us both?""What good news can he have, except that his trile is goin' well, and you don't care for that""Oh, how can you say so? I care for all that concerns him: he would not come here to insult my misery with his happiness. He is noble, he is generous, with all his faults. How dare you call me mamma, sir! Call it me again, my dear child; because then I shall _know_ you are come to save my heart from breaking." And with this, the truth must be told, the stately Mrs. Dodd did fawn upon Alfred with palms outstretched and piteous eyes, and certain cajoling arts of her sex.
"Give me a kiss then, mamma," said the impudent boy, "and I _will_ tell you a little bit of good news."She bowed her stately head directly, and paid the required tribute with servile humility and readiness.
"Well then," said Alfred, and was just going to tell her all, but caught sight of Sampson making the most expressive pantomime to him to be cautious. "Well," said he, "I have seen a sailor.""Ah!""And he is sure Mr. Dodd is alive."
Mrs. Dodd lifted her hands to heaven, but could not speak. "In fact,"said Alfred, hesitating (for he was a wretched hand at a fib), "he saw him not a fortnight ago on board ship. But that is not all, mamma, the sailor says he has his reason."Mrs. Dodd sank on her knees, and said no word to man, but many to the Giver of all good. When she arose, she said to Alfred, "Bring this sailor to me. I must speak with him directly."Alfred coloured. "I don't know where to find him just now.""Oh, indeed," said Mrs. Dodd quietly: and this excited her suspicion; and from that moment the cunning creature lay in wait for Master Alfred. She plied him with questions, and he got more and more puzzled how to sustain his story. At last, by way of bursting out of his own net, he said, "But I am sorry to say his hair has turned white. But perhaps you won't mind that.""And he hadn't a grey hair.""It is not grey, like the doctor's: it is as white as the driven snow."Mrs. Dodd sighed; then suddenly turning on Alfred, asked him, "Did the sailor tell you that?"He hesitated a moment and was lost.
"You have seen him," she screamed; "he is in London: he is in the house.
I feel him near me:" and she went into something very like hysterics.
Alfred was alarmed, and whispered the truth. The doctor sent him off to meet them, and recommended caution; her nerves were in such a state a violent shock, even of happiness, might kill her.
Thus warned, Julia came into the room alone, and while Dr. Sampson was inculcating self-restraint for her own sake, she listened with a superior smile, and took quite a different line. "Mamma," said she, "he is in the town; but I dare not bring him here till you are composed: his reason is restored; but his nerves are not so strong as they were. Now, if you agitate yourself, you will agitate him, and will do him a serious mischief."This crafty speech produced an incredible effect on Mrs. Dodd. It calmed her directly: or rather her great love gave her strength to be calm. "Iwill not be such a wretch," she said. "See: I am composed, quite composed. Bring me my darling, and you shall see how good I will be:
there now, Julia, see how calm I am, quite calm. What, have I borne so much misery, with Heaven's help, and do you think I cannot bear this great happiness for my dear darling's sake?"On this they proposed she should retire to her room, and they would go for David.
"Think over the meeting, dear, dear mamma," said Julia, "and then you will behave well for his sake, who was lost to us and is found."Husband and wife met alone in Mrs. Dodd's room. No eye, even of the children, ventured to witness a scene so strange, so sacred. We may try and imagine that meeting; but few of us can conceive it by the light of our narrow experience. Yet one or two there may be--the world is wide, and the adventures and emotions of our race are many.
One by one all were had up to that sacred room to talk to the happy pair.
They found David seated calmly at his wife's feet, her soft hand laid on his white hair, lest he should leave her again: and they told him all the sorrow behind them; and he, genial and kindly as ever, told them all the happiness before them. He spoke like the master of the house, the father of the family, the friend of them all.
But with all his goodness he was sternly resolved to have his L. 14,000out of Richard Hardie. He had an interview with Mr. Compton that very night, and the lawyer wrote a letter to Mr. Hardie, saying nothing about the death of Skinner, but notifying that his client, Captain Dodd, had recovered from Noah Skinner the receipt No. 17 for L. 14,010 12s. 6d, and he was instructed to sue for it unless repaid immediately. He added Captain Dodd was mercifully restored, and remembered distinctly every particular of the transaction.
They all thought in their innocence that Hardie _v._ Hardie was now at an end. Captain Dodd could prove Alfred's _soi-disant_ illusion to be the simple truth. But Compton thought that this evidence had come too late.
"What, may we not get up and say here is papa, and it is all true?" cried Julia indignant.
"No, Miss Dodd; our case is closed. And take my advice: don't subject your father to the agitation of a trial. We can do without him."Well then, they would all go as spectators, and pray that justice might prevail.
They did go: and all sat together to hear a matter puzzled over, which had David come one day earlier he would have set at rest for ever.
Dick Absolom was put in to prove that Alfred had put two sovereigns on the stumps for him to bowl if he could; and after him the defendant, Mr.