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nobody but a very dilapidated female to perform such offices。 You
will excuse her infirmities？ If she were in a more elevated station
of society； she would be gouty。 Being but a hewer of wood and
drawer of water； she is rheumatic。 My dear Haredale； these are
natural class distinctions； depend upon it。’
Mr Haredale； whose face resumed its lowering and distrustful
look the moment he heard the voice； inclined his head stiffly； and
turned his back upon the speaker。
‘Not opened yet；’ said Mr Chester。 ‘Dear me！ I hope the aged
soul has not caught her foot in some unlucky cobweb by the way。
She is there at last！ Come in； I beg！’
Mr Haredale entered； followed by the locksmith。 Turning with a
look of great astonishment to the old woman who had opened the
door； he inquired for Mrs Rudge—for Barnaby。 They were both
gone； she replied； wagging her ancient head； for good。 There was a
gentleman in the parlour； who perhaps could tell them more。 That
was all she knew。
‘Pray； sir；’ said Mr Haredale； presenting himself before this new
tenant； ‘where is the person whom I came here to see？’
‘My dear friend；’ he returned； ‘I have not the least idea。’
‘Your trifling is ill…timed；’ retorted the other in a suppressed
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tone and voice； ‘and its subject ill…chosen。 Reserve it for those who
are your friends； and do not expend it on me。 I lay no claim to the
distinction； and have the self…denial to reject it。’
‘My dear； good sir；’ said Mr Chester； ‘you are heated with
walking。 Sit down； I beg。 Our friend is—’
‘Is but a plain honest man；’ returned Mr Haredale； ‘and quite
unworthy of your notice。’
‘Gabriel Varden by name； sir；’ said the locksmith bluntly。
‘A worthy English yeoman！’ said Mr Chester。 ‘A most worthy
yeoman； of whom I have frequently heard my son Ned—darling
fellow—speak； and have often wished to see。 Varden； my good
friend； I am glad to know you。 You wonder now；’ he said； turning
languidly to Mr Haredale； ‘to see me here。 Now； I am sure you do。’
Mr Haredale glanced at him—not fondly or admiringly—smiled；
and held his peace。
‘The mystery is solved in a moment；’ said Mr Chester； ‘in a
moment。 Will you step aside with me one instant。 You remember
our little compact in reference to Ned； and your dear niece；
Haredale？ You remember the list of assistants in their innocent
intrigue？ You remember these two people being among them？ My
dear fellow； congratulate yourself； and me。 I have bought them
off。’
‘You have done what？’ said Mr Haredale。
‘Bought them off；’ returned his smiling friend。 ‘I have found it
necessary to take some active steps towards setting this boy and
girl attachment quite at rest； and have begun by removing these
two agents。 You are surprised？ Who can withstand the influence
of a little money！ They wanted it； and have been bought off。 We
have nothing more to fear from them。 They are gone。’
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‘Gone！’ echoed Mr Haredale。 ‘Where？’
‘My dear fellow—and you must permit me to say again； that you
never looked so young； so positively boyish as you do to…night—the
Lord knows where； I believe Columbus himself wouldn’t find
them。 Between you and me they have their hidden reasons； but
upon that point I have pledged myself to secrecy。 She appointed to
see you here to…night； I know； but found it inconvenient； and
couldn’t wait。 Here is the key of the door。 I am afraid you’ll find it
inconveniently large； but as the tenement is yours； your good…
nature will excuse that； Haredale； I am certain！’
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Chapter 27
r Haredale stood in the widow’s parlour with the door…
key in his hand； gazing by turns at Mr Chester and at
MGabriel Varden； and occasionally glancing downward at
the key as in the hope that of its own accord it would unlock the
mystery； until Mr Chester； putting on his hat and gloves； and
sweetly inquiring whether they were walking in the same
direction； recalled him to himself。
‘No；’ he said。 ‘Our roads diverge—widely； as you know。 For the
present； I shall remain here。’
‘You will be hipped； Haredale； you will be miserable；
melancholy； utterly wretched；’ returned the other。 ‘It’s a place of
the very last description for a man of your temper。 I know it will
make you very miserable。’
‘Let it；’ said Mr Haredale； sitting down； ‘and thrive upon the
thought。 Good night！’
Feigning to be wholly unconscious of the abrupt wave of the
hand which rendered this farewell tantamount to a dismissal； Mr
Chester retorted with a bland and heartfelt benediction； and
inquired of Gabriel in what direction he was going。
‘Yours； sir； would be too much honour for the like of me；’
replied the locksmith； hesitating。
‘I wish you to remain here a little while； Varden；’ said Mr
Haredale； without looking towards them。 ‘I have a word or two to
say to you。’
‘I will not intrude upon your conference another moment；’ said
Mr Chester with inconceivable politeness。 ‘May it be satisfactory
to you both！ God bless you！’ So saying； and bestowing upon the
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locksmith a most refulgent smile； he left them。
‘A deplorably constituted creature； that rugged person；’ he said；
as he walked along the street； ‘he is an atrocity that carries its own
punishment along with it—a bear that gnaws himself。 And here is
one of the inestimable advantages of having a perfect command
over one’s inclinations。 I have been tempted in these two short
interviews； to draw upon that fellow； fifty times。 Five men in six
would have yielded to the impulse。 By suppressing mine； I wound
him deeper and more keenly than if I were the best swordsman in
all Europe； and he the worst。 You are the wise man’s very last
resource；’ he said； tapping the hilt of his weapon； ‘we can but
appeal to you when all else is said and done。 To come to you
before； and thereby spare our adversaries so much； is a barbarian
mode of warfare； quite unworthy of any man with the remotest
pretensions to delicacy of feeling； or refinement。’
He smiled so very pleasantly as he communed with himself
after this manner； that a beggar was emboldened to follow for
alms； and to dog his footsteps for some distance。 He was gratified
by the circumstance； feeling it complimentary to his power of
feature； and as a reward suffered the man to follow him until he
called a chair； when he graciously dismissed him with a fervent
blessing。
‘Which is as easy as cursing；’ he wisely added； as he took his
seat； ‘and more becoming to the face。—To Clerkenwell； my good
creatures； if you please！’ The chairmen were rendered quite
vivacious by having such a courteous burden； and to Clerkenwell
they went at a fair round trot。
Alighting at a certain point he had indicated to them upon the
road； and paying them something less than they expected from a
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Barnaby Rudg