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96 - Mysteries of London Vol II by George W M Reynolds · Mysteries of London Vol. II

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  Speaker 1: Section ninety six. Mister Greenwood and mister Vernon. It was
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  Speaker 1: in the middle of April and about two o'clock in
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  Speaker 1: the afternoon when the Honorable Gilbert Vernon knocked at the
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  Speaker 1: door of mister Greenwood's mansion in Spring Gardens. He was
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  Speaker 1: immediately admitted by a footman in livery, and Filippo, the
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  Speaker 1: Italian valet, who was lounging in the hall at the moment,
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  Speaker 1: conducted him to the elegant drawing room, where the Member
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  Speaker 1: for Rottenborough was seated. As soon as Filippo had retired,
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  Speaker 1: mister Vernon said, in a somewhat impatient tone, as he
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  Speaker 1: fixed his large gray eyes in a scrutinizing manner upon
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  Speaker 1: Greenwood's countenance. May I request to know, with as little
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  Speaker 1: delay as possible, the reason that has induced you to
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  Speaker 1: demand this interview? Sit down? Mister Vernon, was the reply,
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  Speaker 1: and listened to me calmly. In January last I met
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  Speaker 1: you accidentally in London and you implored me to breathe
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  Speaker 1: to a soul the fact that you were in this country,
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  Speaker 1: and if I had private urgent motives for so acting,
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  Speaker 1: mister Greenwood exclaimed Vernon, I cannot suppose that it cost
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  Speaker 1: you any effort to maintain my secret. I set out
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  Speaker 1: by requesting you to listen to me attentively, returned the
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  Speaker 1: Member of Parliament, with the coolness of a man who
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  Speaker 1: knows he is dictating to one completely in his power,
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  Speaker 1: proceed said Vernon, biting his lip. I will not again
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  Speaker 1: interrupt you, that is, unless I need scarcely state that
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  Speaker 1: I did keep your secret, continued Greenwood, without appearing to
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  Speaker 1: notice the hesitation with which his visitor gave the promise
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  Speaker 1: of attention. You shortly afterwards called upon me to request alone,
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  Speaker 1: which it was not convenient for me to advance at
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  Speaker 1: the moment. On that occasion, you reiterated your request of
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  Speaker 1: secrecy relatative to your presence in London. I renewed my
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  Speaker 1: pledge of silence, and I kept it. But I felt
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  Speaker 1: convinced that there were some cogent reasons which prompted that
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  Speaker 1: anxiety for concealment. Knowing much of your circumstances, I instituted
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  Speaker 1: inquiries in a certain quarter, and I learnt that Lord
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  Speaker 1: Ravensworth was dying, dying gradually in a most mysterious manner,
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  Speaker 1: and of a disease that baffled all the skill of
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  Speaker 1: his physicians. I also ascertained that he was a slave
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  Speaker 1: to the use of a particular tobacco, which you his brother,
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  Speaker 1: had kindly sent him from the east. Mister Greenwood ejaculated Vernon,
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  Speaker 1: his face assuming so dark, so foreboding, so ferocious an
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  Speaker 1: expression that the Member of Parliament saw his dart had
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  Speaker 1: been leveled with the most accurate aim. Pray listen, mister Vernon,
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  Speaker 1: said Greenwood, playing with his watch chain in a calm
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  Speaker 1: and quiet manner, as if he were discoursing upon the
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  Speaker 1: most indifferent topics, Having made those discoveries which indeed were
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  Speaker 1: so generally known in the fashionable world, that the most
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  Speaker 1: simple inquiry induced any West End gossip or newsmonger of
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  Speaker 1: the clubs to descant upon them. I began to view
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  Speaker 1: them in a particular light, mister Greenwood, cried Vernon, starting
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  Speaker 1: from his seat, his countenance read with indignation. Do you pretend,
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  Speaker 1: for one moment to insinuate that I I the brother
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  Speaker 1: of the late Lord Ravensworth. I insinuate nothing, interrupted the
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  Speaker 1: Member with the most provoking calmness. But I will presently
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  Speaker 1: explain to you in broad terms, if you choose the
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  Speaker 1: facts of which I am convinced. I promise you that
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  Speaker 1: you will do well to hear me patiently. But is
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  Speaker 1: my character to suffer by the scandal of superannuated dowagers
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  Speaker 1: and the tattle of club quidnunx, demanded Vernon rage, imparting
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  Speaker 1: a terrible emphasis to his deep toned voice. Your character
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  Speaker 1: has in no way suffered with those parties, answered Greenwood.
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  Speaker 1: All that they relate is mere idle gossip, without an
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  Speaker 1: object or an aim. They have no suspicion, circumstances have
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  Speaker 1: aroused none in their minds. But when I heard all
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  Speaker 1: that they state as mere matter of conversation, I viewed
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  Speaker 1: it in a different light, because my suspicions were aroused
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  Speaker 1: by the knowledge of your presence in England and your
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  Speaker 1: anxiety to conceal that fact, And if anything, were wanting
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  Speaker 1: to confirm those suspicions. The company in which I saw
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  Speaker 1: you the evening before last Ah, you saw me with someone,
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  Speaker 1: cried Vernon, hastily and for the moment thrown off his guard. Yes,
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  Speaker 1: I saw you in conversation with a man of the
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  Speaker 1: most desperate character, a man who only last month escaped
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  Speaker 1: from the Middlesex House of Correction. Then in a word,
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  Speaker 1: mister Greenwood interrupted Vernon, subduing his vexation and rage with
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  Speaker 1: a desperate mental effort, and resuming his seat. How came
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  Speaker 1: you to discover my address in Stamford Street? And wherefore
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  Speaker 1: did you yesterday write to me to call on you
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  Speaker 1: to day? I overheard you say to Anthony Tidkins, the
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  Speaker 1: day after tomorrow, I shall proceed to Ravensworth Hall, as
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  Speaker 1: if I had only just returned to England in consequence
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  Speaker 1: of letters sent to Beirut, to announce to me my
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  Speaker 1: brother's death, and you will join me in the capacity
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  Speaker 1: agreed upon this, I overheard you say, mister Vernon, continued Greenwood,
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  Speaker 1: fixing upon his visitor a glance of triumphant assurance. And
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  Speaker 1: I then felt convinced that all my previous suspicions were
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  Speaker 1: well founded. I accordingly followed you when you separated from
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  Speaker 1: that individual who bears the odious name of the Resurrection Man,
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  Speaker 1: and I traced you to your lodgings in Stamford Street.
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  Speaker 1: But for what purpose? With what view? Demanded Vernon, who
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  Speaker 1: saw that he was completely in Greenwood's power. I will
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  Speaker 1: come to that presently, was the calm reply. You do
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  Speaker 1: not even give me credit for the delicacy with which
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  Speaker 1: I acted in bringing about this interview. Delicacy, repeated Vernon,
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  Speaker 1: his lip curling haughtily. Yes, delicacy, added Greenwood. I knew
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  Speaker 1: not whether you passed at your lodging by your proper name,
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  Speaker 1: and therefore I would not call in person to inquire
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  Speaker 1: for you, fearful of betraying you. But I do pass
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  Speaker 1: there in my proper name, said Vernon. For the old
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  Speaker 1: widow who keeps the house nursed me in my infancy,
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  Speaker 1: and I can rely upon her. Thank you for this admission,
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  Speaker 1: mister Vernon rejoined Greenwood complacently. Wherever reliance is to be placed,
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  Speaker 1: it is clear that there is something which might be betrayed.
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  Speaker 1: You have confirmed the strength of my previous convictions. Do
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  Speaker 1: not think that I made that admission unguardedly, said Vernon,
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  Speaker 1: nettled by Greenwood's manner. No, I see that I am
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  Speaker 1: in your power. I admit it, and therefore I no
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  Speaker 1: longer attempted to mislead you, and you acted wisely, returned Greenwood.
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  Speaker 1: It were far better for you to have me as
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  Speaker 1: a friend than as an enemy. But as I was
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  Speaker 1: heir now observing, it was to avoid the chance of
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  Speaker 1: betraying you. That I sent my faithful valet Filippo to
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  Speaker 1: loiter about Stamford Street last evening and slipped my note
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  Speaker 1: into your hands. I described your person to him, and
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  Speaker 1: he executed my commission. Well, then you have no inimicable
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  Speaker 1: motive in seeking me out, in telling me all that
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  Speaker 1: you suspect, said Vernon, looking suspiciously at Greenwood from beneath
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  Speaker 1: his dark brows. Not the slightest. How can I have
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  Speaker 1: such a motive, exclaimed Greenwood. A secret falls in my way,
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  Speaker 1: and I endeavor to profit by it. That is all
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  Speaker 1: I scarcely comprehend. You observed the guilty man, his countenance
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  Speaker 1: again becoming overcast. In one word, mister Vernon, continued Greenwood emphatically.
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  Speaker 1: You come to England privately upon some secret and mysterious
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  Speaker 1: errand still you pass by your own name at your lodging.
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  Speaker 1: That circumstance to superficial observers might seem to involve a
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  Speaker 1: strange want of precaution. To me, it appears a portion
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  Speaker 1: of your plan and the result of a judicious calculation.
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  Speaker 1: You return privately to England, I say, but you retain
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  Speaker 1: your own name at a place where you know it
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  Speaker 1: will not be betrayed unless circumstances should peremptorily demand its revelation.
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  Speaker 1: And then should certain suspicions attach themselves to you, you
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  Speaker 1: would say boldly and feasibly. Also, it is true that
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  Speaker 1: I came to England to live quietly, but I attempted
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  Speaker 1: no disguise, I assumed no fictitious name. Ah, I can
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  Speaker 1: penetrate further into the human heart than most people. My
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  Speaker 1: experience of the world is of no common order, it
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  Speaker 1: would seem, not, said Vernon, especially as you also appear
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  Speaker 1: to know Anthony Tidkins, since you recognized him in my
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  Speaker 1: society the other night. There are few men at all
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  Speaker 1: notorious for their good or evil deeds in this great
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  Speaker 1: city who are unknown to me, observed Greenwood calmly, but
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  Speaker 1: permit me to continue. You are here in this country,
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  Speaker 1: while really deemed to be abroad, under circumstances of no
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  Speaker 1: ordinary mystery. Your brother smokes the tobacco you so kindly
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  Speaker 1: sent him, and dies your associate, the resurrection Man, And
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  Speaker 1: you are now about to proceed to Ravensworth Hall, doubtless
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  Speaker 1: convinced that you have allowed a sufficient interval to elapse
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  Speaker 1: since your brother's death in the middle of February, to
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  Speaker 1: maintain the belief where such belief suits your purposes, that
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  Speaker 1: you have only just had time to receive that intelligence
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  Speaker 1: in the East and thence returned to England. Can you
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  Speaker 1: deny one tittle of my most reasonable conjectures, Greenwood, you
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  Speaker 1: are an extraordinary man, cried Vernon, affecting an ease which
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  Speaker 1: he did not feel and a sudden familiarity which he
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  Speaker 1: did not like. Did I not before say that I
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  Speaker 1: would no longer attempt to mislead you, and I am
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  Speaker 1: willing to secure you as my friend. You now speak
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  Speaker 1: to the point I candidly confess that I have told
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  Speaker 1: you all I suspect or know concerning yourself and your
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  Speaker 1: affairs proceeded, Greenwood, And I am perfectly indifferent as to
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  Speaker 1: whether you choose to enlighten me farther or not. Doubtless
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  Speaker 1: you have some defined course to pursue, or else the
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  Speaker 1: aid of the resurrection Man would be unnecessary. But whether
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  Speaker 1: you hope to inherit largely under your deceased brother's will,
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  Speaker 1: or whether you can establish claims that may benefit you
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  Speaker 1: in spite of the existence of the infant air of Ravensworth,
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  Speaker 1: who was born a month ago. Ah, the birth of
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  Speaker 1: that air as well nigh destroyed all my hopes, interrupted
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  Speaker 1: Vernon again, rising from his seat. But tell me what
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  Speaker 1: do you require at my hands? How am I to
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  Speaker 1: secure you as my friend? How am I to purchase
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  Speaker 1: your continued silence concerning all you have divined or now know?
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  Speaker 1: With money? Replied Greenwood, with that article which buys everything
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  Speaker 1: in this world? Money I have none, exclaimed Vernon. But
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  Speaker 1: ere long stay, cried Greenwood. Tell me nothing of your schemes,
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  Speaker 1: nothing of your projects. I would rather remain in ignorance
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  Speaker 1: of the designs you may have in view. For look you,
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  Speaker 1: mister Vernon, though between ourselves, I'm not over nice in
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  Speaker 1: some matters, as you may probably suppose, from the fact
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  Speaker 1: that Anthony Tidkins is known to me, as well as
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  Speaker 1: from my readiness to receive a bribe to insure my
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  Speaker 1: secrecy and respect to your proceedings. Yet I do not
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  Speaker 1: care if I tell you that I shudder when I
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  Speaker 1: think of the lengths to which you have already gone,
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  Speaker 1: to which perhaps you are still prepared to go. Was
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  Speaker 1: it to read me a moral lecture that you sought
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  Speaker 1: this interview demanded the Honorable Gilbert Vernon, with a contemptuous
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  Speaker 1: curl of the lip. No far from that, responded Greenwood.
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  Speaker 1: And therefore enough of this style of discourse on my part. Still,
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  Speaker 1: the observations were not unnecessary, for they served to explain
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  Speaker 1: the relative positions in which we stand. You have already
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  Speaker 1: committed one fearful crime, and I know it. Perhaps you
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  Speaker 1: meditate another, and I suspect it. But it is not
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  Speaker 1: for me to betray you, nor to reason with you.
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  Speaker 1: I am not inclined to do either. Provided you are grateful,
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  Speaker 1: mister Greenwood, said Vernon, speaking thickly between his set teeth.
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  Speaker 1: You shall have a noble reward if you religiously keep
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  Speaker 1: my secret. Such is the understanding at which I was
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  Speaker 1: desirous to arrive, observed Greenwood. Gilbert Vernon then took his leave,
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  Speaker 1: in no very enviable state of mind, under the conviction
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  Speaker 1: that his crimes had placed him so entirely in the
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  Speaker 1: power of such an extortioner as the Member for Rottenborough.
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  Speaker 1: We must observe ere we conclude the chapter that Filippo
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  Speaker 1: the Italian valet had listened at the door of the
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  Speaker 1: drawing room where this interview took place, and that not
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  Speaker 1: a syllable of the whole conversation was lost upon him.
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  Speaker 1: In the evening, Filippo obtained a leave of absence for
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  Speaker 1: a few hours, and he availed himself of this license
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  Speaker 1: to repair to the villa in which Eliza Sidney dwelt.
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  Speaker 1: End of section ninety six. Recording by Linda Johnson