the city clocks had just tolled out the hour of twelve, the last omnibus had rumbled by, and the silence without was broken only at rare intervals when some belated citizen passed by with hurried footsteps towards his home. all was still in the house of mr. stevens—so quiet, that the ticking of the large clock in the hall could be distinctly heard at the top of the stairway, breaking the solemn stillness of the night with its monotonous "click, click—click, click!"
in a richly furnished chamber overlooking the street a dim light was burning; so dimly, in fact, that the emaciated form of mr. stevens was scarcely discernible amidst the pillows and covering of the bed on which he was lying. above him a brass head of curious workmanship held in its clenched teeth the canopy that overshadowed the bed; and as the light occasionally flickered and brightened, the curiously carved face seemed to light up with a sort of sardonic grin; and the grating of the curtain-rings, as the sick man tossed from side to side in his bed, would have suggested the idea that the odd supporter of the canopy was gnashing his brazen teeth at him.
on the wall, immediately opposite the light, hung a portrait of mrs. stevens; not the sharp, hard face we once introduced to the reader, but a smoother, softer countenance—yet a worn and melancholy one in its expression. it looked as if the waves of grief had beaten upon it for a long succession of years, until they had tempered down its harsher peculiarities, giving a subdued appearance to the whole countenance.
"there is twelve o'clock—give me my drops again, lizzie," he remarked, faintly. at the sound of his voice lizzie emerged from behind the curtains, and essayed to pour into a glass the proper quantity of medicine. she was twice obliged to pour back into the phial what she had just emptied forth, as the trembling of her hands caused her each time to drop too much; at last, having succeeded in getting the exact number of drops, she handed him the glass, the contents of which he eagerly drank.
"there!" said he, "thank you; now, perhaps, i may sleep. i have not slept for two nights—such has been my anxiety about that man; nor you either, my child—i have kept you awake also. you can sleep, though, without drops. to-morrow, when you are prepared to start, wake me, if i am asleep, and let me speak to you before you go. remember, lizzie, frighten him if you can! tell him, i am ill myself—that i can't survive this continued worriment and annoyance. tell him, moreover, i am not made of gold, and will not be always giving. i don't believe he is sick—dying—do you?" he asked, looking into her face, as though he did not anticipate an affirmative answer.
"no, father, i don't think he is really ill; i imagine it is another subterfuge to extract money. don't distress yourself unnecessarily; perhaps i may have some influence with him—i had before, you know!"
"yes, yes, dear, you managed him very well that time—very well," said he, stroking down her hair affectionately. "i—i—my child, i could never have told you of that dreadful secret; but when i found that you knew it all, my heart experienced a sensible relief. it was a selfish pleasure, i know; yet it eased me to share my secret; the burden is not half so heavy now."
"father, would not your mind be easier still, if you could be persuaded to make restitution to his children? this wealth is valueless to us both. you can never ask forgiveness for the sin whilst you cling thus tenaciously to its fruits."
"tut, tut—no more of that!" said he, impatiently; "i cannot do it without betraying myself. if i gave it back to them, what would become of you and george, and how am i to stop the clamours of that cormorant? no, no! it is useless to talk of it—i cannot do it!"
"there would be still enough left for george, after restoring them their own, and you might give this man my share of what is left. i would rather work day and night," said she, determinedly, "than ever touch a penny of the money thus accumulated."
"i've thought all that over, long ago, but i dare not do it—it might cause inquiries to be made that might result to my disadvantage. no, i cannot do that; sit down, and let us be quiet now."
mr. stevens lay back upon his pillow, and for a moment seemed to doze; then starting up again suddenly, he asked, "have you told george about it? have you ever confided anything to him?"
"no, papa," answered she soothingly, "not a breath; i've been secret as the grave."
"that's right!" rejoined he—"that is right! i love george, but not as i do you. he only comes to me when he wants money. he is not like you, darling—you take care of and nurse your poor old father. has he come in yet?"
"not yet; he never gets home until almost morning, and is then often fearfully intoxicated."
the old man shook his head, and muttered, "the sins of the fathers shall—what is that? did you hear that noise?—hush!"
lizzie stood quietly by him for a short while, and then walked on tiptoe to the door—"it is george," said she, after peering into the gloom of their entry; "he has admitted him self with his night-key."
the shuffling sound of footsteps was now quite audible upon the stairway, and soon the bloated face of mr. stevens's hopeful son was seen at the chamber door. in society and places where this young gentleman desired to maintain a respectable character he could be as well behaved, as choice in his language, and as courteous as anybody; but at home, where he was well known, and where he did not care to place himself under any restraint, he was a very different individual.
"let me in, liz," said he, in a thick voice; "i want the old man to fork over some money—i'm cleaned out."
"no, no—go to bed, george," she answered, coaxingly, "and talk to him about it in the morning."
"i'm coming in now," said he, determinedly; "and besides, i want to tell you something about that nigger garie."
"tell us in the morning," persisted lizzy.
"no—i'm going to tell you now," rejoined he, forcing his way into the room—"it's too good to keep till morning. pick up that wick, let a fellow see if you are all alive!"
lizzie raised the wick of the lamp in accordance with his desire, and then sat down with an expression of annoyance and vexation on her countenance.
george threw himself into an easy chair, and began, "i saw that white nigger garie to-night, he was in company with a gentleman, at that—the assurance of that fellow is perfectly incomprehensible. he was drinking at the bar of the hotel; and as it is no secret why he and miss bates parted, i enlightened the company on the subject of his antecedents. he threatened to challenge me! ho! ho!—fight with a nigger—that is too good a joke!" and laughing heartily, the young ruffian leant back in his chair. "i want some money to-morrow, dad," continued he. "i say, old gentleman, wasn't it a lucky go that darkey's father was put out of the way so nicely, eh?—we've been living in clover ever since—haven't we?"
"how dare you address me-in that disrespectful manner? go out of the room, sir!" exclaimed mr. stevens, with a disturbed countenance.
"come, george, go to bed," urged his sister wearily. "let father sleep—it is after twelve o'clock. i am going to wake the nurse, and then retire myself."
george rose stupidly from his chair, and followed his sister from the room. on the stairway he grasped her arm rudely, and said, "i don't understand how it is that you and the old man are so cursed thick all of a sudden. you are thick as two thieves, always whispering and talking together. act fair, liz—don't persuade him to leave you all the money. if you do, we'll quarrel—that's flat. don't try and cozen him out of my share as well as your own—you hear!"
"oh, george!" rejoined she reproachfully—"i never had such an idea."
"then what are you so much together for? why is there so much whispering and writing, and going off on journeys all alone? what does it all mean, eh?"
"it means nothing at all, george. you are not yourself to-night," said she evasively; "you had better go to bed."
"it is you that are not yourself," he retorted. "what makes you look so pale and worried—and why do you and the old man start if the door cracks, as if the devil was after you? what is the meaning of that?" asked he with a drunken leer. "you had better look out," concluded he; "i'm watching you both, and will find out all your secrets by-and-by."
"learn all our secrets! ah, my brother!" thought she, as he disappeared into his room, "you need not desire to have their fearful weight upon you, or you will soon grow as anxious, thin, and pale as i am."
the next day at noon lizzie started on her journey, after a short conference with her father.
night had settled upon her native city, when she was driven through its straight and seemingly interminable thoroughfares. the long straight rows of lamps, the snowy steps, the scrupulously clean streets, the signs over the stores, were like the faces of old acquaintances, and at any other time would have caused agreeable recollections; but the object of her visit pre-occupied her mind, to the exclusion of any other and more pleasant associations.
she ordered the coachman to take her to an obscure hotel, and, after having engaged a room, she left her baggage and started in search of the residence of mccloskey.
she drew her veil down over her face very closely, and walked quickly through the familiar streets, until she arrived at the place indicated in his letter. it was a small, mean tenement, in a by street, in which there were but one or two other houses. the shutters were closed from the upper story to the lowest, and the whole place wore an uninhabited appearance. after knocking several times, she was about to give up in despair, when she discovered through the glass above the door the faint glimmer of a light, and shortly after a female voice demanded from the inside, "who is there?"
"does mr. mccloskey live here?" asked lizzie.
hearing a voice not more formidable than her own, the person within partially opened the door; and, whilst shading with one hand the candle she held in the other, gazed out upon the speaker.
"does mr. mccloskey live here?" repeated lizzie.
"yes, he does," answered the woman, in a weak voice; "but he's got the typers."
"has the what?" inquired lizzie, who did not exactly understand her.
"got the typers—got the fever, you know."
"the typhus fever!" said lizzie, with a start; "then he is really sick."
"really sick!" repeated the woman—"really sick! well, i should think he was! why, he's been a raving and swearing awful for days; he stormed and screamed so loud that the neighbours complained. law! they had to even shave his head."
"is he any better?" asked lizzie, with a sinking heart. "can i see him?"
"'praps you can, if you go to the hospital to-morrow; but whether you'll find him living or dead is more than i can say. i couldn't keep him here—i wasn't able to stand him. i've had the fever myself—he took it from me. you must come in," continued the woman, "if you want to talk—i'm afraid of catching cold, and can't stand at the door. maybe you're afraid of the fever," she further observed, as she saw lizzie hesitate on the door-step.
"oh, no, i'm not afraid of that," answered lizzie quickly—"i am not in the least afraid."
"come in, then," reiterated the woman, "and i'll tell you all about it."
the woman looked harmless enough, and lizzie hesitated no longer, but followed her through the entry into a decently furnished room. setting the candlestick upon the mantelpiece, she offered her visitor a chair, and then continued—
"he came home this last time in an awful state. before he left some one sent him a load of money, and he did nothing but drink and gamble whilst it lasted. i used to tell him that he ought to take care of his money, and he'd snap his fingers and laugh. he used to say that he owned the goose that laid the golden eggs, and could have money whenever he wanted it. well, as i was a saying, he went; and when he came back he had an awful attack of delirium tremens, and then he took the typers. oh, laws mercy!" continued she, holding up her bony hands, "how that critter raved! he talked about killing people."
"he did!" interrupted lizzie, with a gesture of alarm, and laying her hand upon her heart, which beat fearfully—"did he mention any name?"
the woman did not stop to answer this question, but proceeded as if she had not been interrupted. "he was always going on about two orphans and a will, and he used to curse and swear awfully about being obliged to keep something hid. it was dreadful to listen to—it would almost make your hair stand on end to hear him."
"and he never mentioned names?" said lizzie inquiringly.
"no, that was so strange; he never mentioned no names—never. he used to rave a great deal about two orphans and a will, and he would ransack the bed, and pull up the sheets, and look under the pillows, as if he thought it was there. oh, he acted very strange, but never mentioned no names. i used to think he had something in his trunk, he was so very special about it. he was better the day they took him off; and the trunk went with him—he would have it; but since then he's had a dreadful relapse, and there's no knowin' whether he is alive or dead."
"i must go to the hospital," said lizzie, rising from her seat, and greatly relieved to learn that nothing of importance had fallen from mccloskey during his delirium. "i shall go there as quickly as i can," she observed, walking to the door.
"you'll not see him to-night if you do," rejoined the woman. "are you a relation?"
"oh, no," answered lizzie; "my father is an acquaintance of his. i learned that he was ill, and came to inquire after him."
had the woman not been very indifferent or unobservant, she would have noticed the striking difference between the manner and appearance of lizzie stevens and the class who generally came to see mccloskey. she did not, however, appear to observe it, nor did she manifest any curiosity greater than that evidenced by her inquiring if he was a relative.
lizzie walked with a lonely feeling through the quiet streets until she arrived at the porter's lodge of the hospital. she pulled the bell with trembling hands, and the door was opened by the little bald-headed man whose loquacity was once (the reader will remember) so painful to mrs. ellis. there was no perceptible change in his appearance, and he manifestly took as warm an interest in frightful accidents as ever. "what is it—what is it?" he asked eagerly, as lizzie's pale face became visible in the bright light that shone from the inner office. "do you want a stretcher?"
the rapidity with which he asked these questions, and his eager manner, quite startled her, and she was for a moment unable to tell her errand.
"speak up, girl—speak up! do you want a stretcher—is it burnt or run over. can't you speak, eh?"
it now flashed upon lizzie that the venerable janitor was labouring under the impression that she had come to make application for the admission of a patient, and she quickly answered—
"oh, no; it is nothing of the kind, i am glad to say."
"glad to say," muttered the old man, the eager, expectant look disappearing from his face, giving place to one of disappointment—"glad to say; why there hasn't been an accident to-day, and here you've gone and rung the bell, and brought me here to the door for nothing. what do you want then?"
"i wish to inquire after a person who is here."
"what's his number?" gruffly inquired he.
"that i cannot tell," answered she; "his name is mccloskey."
"i don't know anything about him. couldn't tell who he is unless i go all over the books to-night. we don't know people by their names here; come in the morning—ten o'clock, and don't never ring that bell again," concluded he, sharply, "unless you want a stretcher: ringing the bell, and no accident;" and grumbling at being disturbed for nothing, he abruptly closed the door in lizzie's face.
anxious and discomfited, she wandered back to her hotel; and after drinking a weak cup of tea, locked her room-door, and retired to bed. there she lay, tossing from side to side—she could not sleep—her anxiety respecting her father's safety; her fears, lest in the delirium of fever mccloskey should discover their secret, kept her awake far into the night, and the city clocks struck two ere she fell asleep.
when she awoke in the morning the sun was shining brightly into her room; for a few moments she could not realize where she was; but the events of the past night soon came freshly to her; looking at her watch, she remembered that she was to go to the hospital at ten, and it was already half-past nine; her wakefulness the previous night having caused her to sleep much later than her usual hour.
dressing herself in haste, she hurried down to breakfast; and after having eaten a slight meal, ordered a carriage, and drove to the hospital.
the janitor was in his accustomed seat, and nodded smilingly to her as she entered. he beckoned her to him, and whispered, "i inquired about him. mccloskey, fever-ward, no. 21, died this morning at two o'clock and forty minutes."
"dead!" echoed lizzie, with a start of horror.
"yes, dead," repeated he, with a complacent look; "any relation of yours—want an order for the body?"
lizzie was so astounded by this intelligence, that she could not reply; and the old man continued mysteriously. "came to before he died—wish he hadn't—put me to a deal of trouble—sent for a magistrate—then for a minister—had something on his mind—couldn't die without telling it, you know; then there was oaths, depositions—so much trouble. are you his relation—want an order for the body?"
"oaths! magistrate!—a confession no doubt," thought lizzie; her limbs trembled; she was so overcome with terror that she could scarcely stand; clinging to the railing of the desk by which she was standing for support, she asked, hesitatingly, "he had something to confess then?"
the janitor looked at her for a few moments attentively, and seemed to notice for the first time her ladylike appearance and manners; a sort of reserve crept over him at the conclusion of his scrutiny, for he made no answer to her question, but simply asked, with more formality than before, "are you a relation—do you want an order for the body?"
ere lizzie could answer his question, a man, plainly dressed, with keen grey eyes that seemed to look restlessly about in every corner of the room, came and stood beside the janitor. he looked at lizzie from the bow on the top of her bonnet to the shoes on her feet; it was not a stare, it was more a hasty glance—and yet she could not help feeling that he knew every item of her dress, and could have described her exactly.
"are you a relative of this person," he asked, in a clear sharp voice, whilst his keen eyes seemed to be piercing her through in search of the truth.
"no, sir," she answered, faintly.
"a friend then, i presume," continued he, respectfully.
"an acquaintance," returned she. the man paused for a few moments, then taking out his watch, looked at the time, and hastened from the office.
this man possessed lizzie with a singular feeling of dread—why she could not determine; yet, after he was gone, she imagined those cold grey eyes were resting on her, and bidding the old janitor, who had grown reserved so suddenly, good morning, she sprang into her carriage as fast as her trembling limbs could carry her, and ordered the coachman to drive back to the hotel.
"father must fly!" soliloquized she; "the alarm will, no doubt, lend him energy. i've heard of people who have not been able to leave their rooms for months becoming suddenly strong under the influence of terror. we must be off to some place of concealment until we can learn whether he is compromised by that wretched man's confession."
lizzie quickly paid her bill, packed her trunk, and started for the station in hopes of catching the mid-day train for new york.
the driver did not spare his horses, but at her request drove them at their utmost speed—but in vain. she arrived there only time enough to see the train move away; and there, standing on the platform, looking at her with a sort of triumphant satisfaction, was the man with the keen grey eyes. "stop! stop!" cried she.
"too late, miss," said a bystander, sympathizingly; "just too late—no other train for three hours."
"three hours!" said lizzie, despairingly; "three hours! yet i must be patient—there is no remedy," and she endeavoured to banish her fears and occupy herself in reading the advertisements that were posted up about the station. it was of no avail, that keen-looking man with his piercing grey eyes haunted her; and she could not avoid associating him in her thoughts with her father and mccloskey. what was he doing on the train, and why did he regard her with that look of triumphant satisfaction.
those were to her the three longest hours of her life. wearily and impatiently she paced up and down the long saloon, watching the hands of the clock as they appeared to almost creep over the dial-plate. twenty times during those three hours did she compare the clock with her watch, and found they moved on unvaryingly together.
at last the hour for the departure of the train arrived; and seated in the car, she was soon flying at express speed on the way towards her home. "how much sooner does the other train arrive than we?" she asked of the conductor.
"two hours and a half, miss," replied he, courteously; "we gain a half-hour upon them."
"a half-hour—that is something gained," thought she; "i may reach my father before that man. can he be what i suspect?"
on they went—thirty—forty—fifty miles an hour, yet she thought it slow. dashing by villages, through meadows, over bridges,—rattling, screaming, puffing, on their way to the city of new york. in due time they arrived at the ferry, and after crossing the river were in the city itself. lizzie took the first carriage that came to hand, and was soon going briskly through the streets towards her father's house. the nearer she approached it, the greater grew her fears; a horrible presentiment that something awful had occurred, grew stronger and stronger as she drew nearer home. she tried to brave it off—resist it—crush it—but it came back upon her each time with redoubled force.
on she went, nearer and nearer every moment, until at last she was in the avenue itself. she gazed eagerly from the carriage, and thought she observed one or two persons run across the street opposite her father's house. it could not be!—she looked again—yes, there was a group beneath his window. "faster! faster!" she cried frantically; "faster if you can." the door was at last reached; she sprang from the carriage and pressed through the little knot of people who were gathered on the pavement. alas! her presentiments were correct. there, lying on the pavement, was the mangled form of her father, who had desperately sprung from the balcony above, to escape arrest from the man with the keen grey eyes, who, with the warrant in his hand, stood contemplating the lifeless body.
"father! father!" cried lizzie, in an anguished voice; "father, speak once!" too late! too late! the spirit had passed away—the murderer had rushed before a higher tribunal—a mightier judge—into the presence of one who tempers justice with mercy.
