Again the man rang and knocked, and knocked and rang again. Some of the neighbours threw up their windows, and called across the street to each other that old Gride's housekeeper must have dropped down dead. Others collected round the coach, and gave vent to various surmises; some held that she had fallen asleep; some, that she had burnt herself to death;some, that she had got drunk; and one very fat man that she had seen something to eat which had frightened her so much (not being used to it) that she had fallen into a fit. This last suggestion particularly delighted the bystanders, who cheered it rather uproariously, and were, with some difficulty, deterred from dropping down the area and breaking open the kitchen door to ascertain the fact. Nor was this all. Rumours having gone abroad that Arthur was to be married that morning, very particular inquiries were made after the bride, who was held by the majority to be disguised in the person of Mr Ralph Nickleby, which gave rise to much jocose indignation at the public appearance of a bride in boots and pantaloons, and called forth a great many hoots and groans. At length, the two moneylenders obtained shelter in a house next door, and, being accommodated with a ladder, clambered over the wall of the back-yard, which was not a high one, and descended in safety on the other side.
`I am almost afraid to go in, I declare,' said Arthur, turning to Ralph when they were alone. `Suppose she should be murdered--lying with her brains knocked out by a poker--eh?'
`Suppose she were,' said Ralph. `I tell you, I wish such things were more common than they are, and more easily done. You may stare and shiver--Ido!'
He applied himself to a pump in the yard; and, having taken a deep draught of water and flung a quantity on his head and face, regained his accustomed manner and led the way into the house: Gride following close at his heels.
It was the same dark place as ever: every room dismal and silent as it was wont to be, and every ghostly article of furniture in its customary place. The iron heart of the grim old clock, undistributed by all the noise without, still beat heavily within its dusty case; the tottering presses slunk from the sight, as usual, in their melancholy corners; the echoes of footsteps returned the same dreary sound; the long-legged spider paused in his nimble run, and, scared by the sight of men in that his dull domain, hung motionless on the wall, counterfeiting death until they should have passed him by.
From cellar to garret went the two usurers, opening every creaking door and looking into every deserted room. But no Peg was there. At last, they sat them down in the apartment which Arthur Gride usually inhabited, to rest after their search.
`The hag is out, on some preparation for your wedding festivities, Isuppose,' said Ralph, preparing to depart. `See here! I destroy the bond;we shall never need it now.'
Gride, who had been peering narrowly about the room, fell, at that moment, upon his knees before a large chest, and uttered a terrible yell.
`How now?' said Ralph, looking sternly round.
`Robbed! robbed!' screamed Arthur Gride.
`Robbed! of money?'
`No, no, no. Worse! far worse!'
`Of what then?' demanded Ralph.
`Worse than money, worse than money!' cried the old man, casting the papers out of the chest, like some beast tearing up the earth. `She had better have stolen money--all my money--I haven't much! She had better have made me a beggar than have done this!'
`Done what?' said Ralph. `Done what, you devil's dotard?'
Still Gride made no answer, but tore and scratched among the papers, and yelled and screeched like a fiend in torment.
`There is something missing, you say,' said Ralph, shaking him furiously by the collar. `What is it?'
`Papers, deeds. I am a ruined man--lost--lost! I am robbed, I am ruined!
She saw me reading it--reading it of late--I did very often-- she watched me--saw me put it in the box that fitted into this--the box is gone--she has stolen it.--Damnation seize her, she has robbed me!'
`Of what ?' cried Ralph, on whom a sudden light appeared to break, for his eyes flashed and his frame trembled with agitation as he clutched Gride by his bony arm. `Of what?'
`She don't know what it is; she can't read!' shrieked Gride, not heeding the inquiry. `There's only one way in which money can be made of it, and that is by taking it to her. Somebody will read it for her, and tell her what to do. She and her accomplice will get money for it and be let off besides; they'll make a merit of it--say they found it--knew it--and be evidence against me. The only person it will fall upon is me--me--me!'
`Patience!' said Ralph, clutching him still tighter and eyeing him with a sidelong look, so fixed and eager as sufficiently to denote that he had some hidden purpose in what he was about to say. `Hear reason. She can't have been gone long. I'll call the police. Do you but give information of what she has stolen, and they'll lay hands upon her, trust me.--Here--help!'
`No--no--no!' screamed the old man, putting his hand on Ralph's mouth.
`I can't, I daren't.'
`Help! help!' cried Ralph.
`No, no, no!' shrieked the other, stamping on the ground with the energy of a madman. `I tell you no. I daren't--I daren't!'
`Daren't make this robbery public?' said Ralph.
`No!' rejoined Gride, wringing his hands. `Hush! Hush! Not a word of this; not a word must be said. I am undone. Whichever way I turn, I am undone. I am betrayed. I shall be given up. I shall die in Newgate!'