It was a good one. As sweet as honeysuckle, I warrant you. Ithank the drink for it. I"ll drink to the drink again, master.
Fill me one more. Come. One more!"
"You are such a promising fellow," said his patron, putting on hiswaistcoat with great nicety, and taking no heed of this request,"that I must caution you against having too many impulses from thedrink, and getting hung before your time. What"s your age?"
"I don"t know."
"At any rate," said Mr Chester, "you are young enough to escapewhat I may call a natural death for some years to come. How canyou trust yourself in my hands on so short an acquaintance, with ahalter round your neck? What a confiding nature yours must be!"
Hugh fell back a pace or two and surveyed him with a look ofmingled terror, indignation, and surprise. Regarding himself inthe glass with the same complacency as before, and speaking assmoothly as if he were discussing some pleasant chit-chat of thetown, his patron went on:
"Robbery on the king"s highway, my young friend, is a verydangerous and ticklish occupation. It is pleasant, I have nodoubt, while it lasts; but like many other pleasures in thistransitory world, it seldom lasts long. And really if in theingenuousness of youth, you open your heart so readily on thesubject, I am afraid your career will be an extremely short one."
"How"s this?" said Hugh. "What do you talk of master? Who was itset me on?"
"Who?" said Mr Chester, wheeling sharply round, and looking fullat him for the first time. "I didn"t hear you. Who was it?"
Hugh faltered, and muttered something which was not audible.
"Who was it? I am curious to know," said Mr Chester, withsurpassing affability. "Some rustic beauty perhaps? But becautious, my good friend. They are not always to be trusted. Dotake my advice now, and be careful of yourself." With these wordshe turned to the glass again, and went on with his toilet.
Hugh would have answered him that he, the questioner himself hadset him on, but the words stuck in his throat. The consummate artwith which his patron had led him to this point, and managed thewhole conversation, perfectly baffled him. He did not doubt thatif he had made the retort which was on his lips when Mr Chesterturned round and questioned him so keenly, he would straightwayhave given him into custody and had him dragged before a justicewith the stolen property upon him; in which case it was as certainhe would have been hung as it was that he had been born. Theascendency which it was the purpose of the man of the world toestablish over this savage instrument, was gained from that time.
Hugh"s submission was complete. He dreaded him beyond description;and felt that accident and artifice had spun a web about him, whichat a touch from such a master-hand as his, would bind him to thegallows.
With these thoughts passing through his mind, and yet wondering atthe very same time how he who came there rioting in the confidenceof this man (as he thought), should be so soon and so thoroughlysubdued, Hugh stood cowering before him, regarding him uneasilyfrom time to time, while he finished dressing. When he had doneso, he took up the letter, broke the seal, and throwing himselfback in his chair, read it leisurely through.
"Very neatly worded upon my life! Quite a woman"s letter, full ofwhat people call tenderness, and disinterestedness, and heart, andall that sort of thing!"
As he spoke, he twisted it up, and glancing lazily round at Hugh asthough he would say "You see this?" held it in the flame of thecandle. When it was in a full blaze, he tossed it into the grate,and there it smouldered away.
"It was directed to my son," he said, turning to Hugh, "and you didquite right to bring it here. I opened it on my ownresponsibility, and you see what I have done with it. Take this,for your trouble."