Up to this time I had remained standing, not to disguise that I wished
him gone. But I was softened by the softened aspect of the man, and felt
a touch of reproach. "I hope," said I, hurriedly putting something into
a glass for myself, and drawing a chair to the table, "that you will not
think I spoke harshly to you just now. I had no intention of doing it,
and I am sorry for it if I did. I wish you well and happy!"
As I put my glass to my lips, he glanced with surprise at the end of his
neckerchief, dropping from his mouth when he opened it, and stretched
out his hand. I gave him mine, and then he drank, and drew his sleeve
across his eyes and forehead.
"How are you living?" I asked him.
"I've been a sheep-farmer, stock-breeder, other trades besides, away in
the new world," said he; "many a thousand mile of stormy water off from
this."
"I hope you have done well?"
"I've done wonderfully well. There's others went out alonger me as has
done well too, but no man has done nigh as well as me. I'm famous for
it."
"I am glad to hear it."
"I hope to hear you say so, my dear boy."
Without stopping to try to understand those words or the tone in which
they were spoken, I turned off to a point that had just come into my
mind.
"Have you ever seen a messenger you once sent to me," I inquired, "since
he undertook that trust?"
"Never set eyes upon him. I warn't likely to it."
"He came faithfully, and he brought me the two one-pound notes. I was
a poor boy then, as you know, and to a poor boy they were a little
fortune. But, like you, I have done well since, and you must let me pay
them back. You can put them to some other poor boy's use." I took out my
purse.
He watched me as I laid my purse upon the table and opened it, and he
watched me as I separated two one-pound notes from its contents. They
were clean and new, and I spread them out and handed them over to
him. Still watching me, he laid them one upon the other, folded them
long-wise, gave them a twist, set fire to them at the lamp, and dropped
the ashes into the tray.
"May I make so bold," he said then, with a smile that was like a frown,
and with a frown that was like a smile, "as ask you how you have done
well, since you and me was out on them lone shivering marshes?"