My aunt made no allowances for his embarrassment.
'Don't be afraid to speak out, sir,' she said, a little coldly. 'What danger are you afraid of?'
'Yours is a generous nature, madam: and generous natures are easily imposed upon. I am afraid of women with bad characters, or, worse still, of other women——'
He stopped again. This time there was a positive interruption. We heard a knock at the door.
Our head-clerk was the person who presented himself at the summons to come in. My aunt held up her hand. 'Excuse me, Mr. Hartrey—I will attend to you in one moment.' She turned to the lawyer. 'What other women are likely to impose on me?' she asked.
'Women, otherwise worthy of your kindness, who may be associated with disreputable connections,' the lawyer replied. 'The very women, if I know anything of your quick sympathies, whom you would be most anxious to help, and who might nevertheless be a source of constant trouble and anxiety, under pernicious influences at home.'
My aunt made no answer. For the moment, the lawyer's objections seemed to annoy her. She addressed herself to Mr. Hartrey; asking rather abruptly what he had to say to her.
Our head-clerk was a methodical gentleman of the old school. He began by confusedly apologizing for his intrusion; and ended by producing a letter.
'When you are able to attend to business, madam, honor me by reading this letter. And, in the meantime, will you forgive me for taking a liberty in the office, rather than intrude on your grief so soon after the death of my dear and honored master?' The phrases were formal enough; but there was true feeling in the man's voice as he spoke. My aunt gave him her hand. He kissed it, with the tears in his eyes.
'Whatever you have done has been well done, I am sure,' she said kindly. 'Who is the letter from?'
'From Mr. Keller, of Frankfort, madam.'
My aunt instantly took the letter from him, and read it attentively. It has a very serious bearing on passages in the present narrative which are yet to come. I accordingly present a copy of it in this place:
'Private and confidential.
'Dear Mr. Hartrey,—It is impossible for me to address myself to Mrs. Wagner, in the first days of the affliction that has fallen on her. I am troubled by a pressing anxiety; and I venture to write to you, as the person now in charge at our London office.
'My only son Fritz is finishing his education at the university of Wurzburg. He has, I regret to say, formed an attachment to a young woman, the daughter of a doctor at Wurzburg, who has recently died. I believe the girl to be a perfectly reputable and virtuous young person. But her father has not only left her in poverty, he has done worse —he has died in debt. Besides this, her mother's character does not stand high in the town. It is said, among other things, that her extravagance is mainly answerable for her late husband's debts. Under these circumstances, I wish to break off the connection while the two young people are separated for the time by the event of the doctor's recent death. Fritz has given up the idea of entering the medical profession, and has accepted my proposal that he shall succeed me in our business. I have decided on sending him to London, to learn something of commercial affairs, at headquarters, in your office.
'My son obeys me reluctantly; but he is a good and dutiful lad—and he yields to his father's wishes. You may expect him in a day or two after receipt of these lines. Oblige me by making a little opening for him in one of your official departments, and by keeping him as much as possible under your own eye, until I can venture on communicating directly with Mrs. Wagner—to whom pray convey the expression of my most sincere and respectful sympathy.'
My aunt handed back the letter. 'Has the young man arrived yet?' she asked.
'He arrived yesterday, madam.'
'And have you found some employment for him?'
'I have ventured to place him in our corresponding department,' the head-clerk answered. 'For the present he will assist in copying letters; and, after business-hours, he will have a room (until further orders) in my house. I hope you think I have done right, madam?'
'You have done admirably, Mr. Hartrey. At the same time, I will relieve you of some of the responsibility. No grief of mine shall interfere with my duty to my husband's partner. I will speak to the young man myself. Bring him here this evening, after business-hours. And don't leave us just yet; I want to put a question to you relating to my husband's affairs, in which I am deeply interested.' Mr. Hartrey returned to his chair. After a momentary hesitation, my aunt put her question in terms which took us all three by surprise.
CHAPTER III
'My husband was connected with many charitable institutions,' the widow began. 'Am I right in believing that he was one of the governors of Bethlehem Hospital?'
At this reference to the famous asylum for insane persons, popularly known among the inhabitants of London as 'Bedlam,' I saw the lawyer start, and exchange a look with the head-clerk. Mr. Hartrey answered with evident reluctance; he said, 'Quite right, madam'—and said no more. The lawyer, being the bolder man of the two, added a word of warning, addressed directly to my aunt.
'I venture to suggest,' he said, 'that there are circumstances connected with the late Mr. Wagner's position at the Hospital, which make it desirable not to pursue the subject any farther. Mr. Hartrey will confirm what I say, when I tell you that Mr. Wagner's proposals for a reformation in the treatment of the patients——'
'Were the proposals of a merciful man,' my aunt interposed 'who abhorred cruelty in all its forms, and who held the torturing of the poor mad patients by whips and chains to be an outrage on humanity. I entirely agree with him. Though I am only a woman, I will not let the matter drop. I shall go to the Hospital on Monday morning next—and my business with you to-day is to request that you will accompany me.'
'In what capacity am I to have the honor of accompanying you?' the lawyer asked, in his coldest manner.
'In your professional capacity,' my aunt replied. 'I may have a proposal to address to the governors; and I shall look to your experience to express it in the proper form.'
The lawyer was not satisfied yet. 'Excuse me if I venture on making another inquiry,' he persisted. 'Do you propose to visit the madhouse in consequence of any wish expressed by the late Mr. Wagner?'
