"I know this old gentleman," said I to Hollingsworth, as we sat
observing him; "that is, I have met him a hundred times in town, and
have often amused my fancy with wondering what he was before he came to
be what he is. He haunts restaurants and such places, and has an odd
way of lurking in corners or getting behind a door whenever
practicable, and holding out his hand with some little article in it
which he wishes you to buy. The eye of the world seems to trouble him,
although he necessarily lives so much in it. I never expected to see
him in an open field."
"Have you learned anything of his history?" asked Hollingsworth.
"Not a circumstance," I answered; "but there must be something curious
in it. I take him to be a harmless sort of a person, and a tolerably
honest one; but his manners, being so furtive, remind me of those of a
rat,--a rat without the mischief, the fierce eye, the teeth to bite
with, or the desire to bite. See, now! He means to skulk along that
fringe of bushes, and approach us on the other side of our clump of
maples."
We soon heard the old man's velvet tread on the grass, indicating that
he had arrived within a few feet of where we Sat.
"Good-morning, Mr. Moodie," said Hollingsworth, addressing the stranger
as an acquaintance; "you must have had a hot and tiresome walk from the
city. Sit down, and take a morsel of our bread and cheese."
The visitor made a grateful little murmur of acquiescence, and sat down
in a spot somewhat removed; so that, glancing round, I could see his
gray pantaloons and dusty shoes, while his upper part was mostly hidden
behind the shrubbery. Nor did he come forth from this retirement
during the whole of the interview that followed. We handed him such
food as we had, together with a brown jug of molasses and water (would
that it had been brandy, or some thing better, for the sake of his
chill old heart!), like priests offering dainty sacrifice to an
enshrined and invisible idol. I have no idea that he really lacked
sustenance; but it was quite touching, nevertheless, to hear him
nibbling away at our crusts.
"Mr. Moodie," said I, "do you remember selling me one of those very
pretty little silk purses, of which you seem to have a monopoly in the
market? I keep it to this day, I can assure you."