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same spirit as the letter。 He talked of miseries which his wife had
brought upon him； of the rebellious disposition； vice； malice； and
premature bad passions of you his only son； who had been trained
to hate him； and left you； and your mother； each an annuity of
eight hundred pounds。 The bulk of his property he divided into
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two equal portions—one for Agnes Fleming； and the other for
their child； if it should be born alive； and ever come of age。 If it
were a girl； it was to inherit the money unconditionally； but if a
boy； only on the stipulation that in his minority he should never
have stained his name with any public act of dishonour； meanness；
cowardice； or wrong。 He did this； he said； to mark his confidence
in the mother； and his conviction—only strengthened by
approaching death—that the child would share her gentle heart；
and noble nature。 If he were disappointed in this expectation； then
the money was to come to you； for then； and not till then； when
both children were equal； would he recognise your prior claim
upon his purse； who had none upon his heart； but had from an
infant； repulsed him with coldness and aversion。”
“My mother；” said Monks； in a louder tone； “did what a woman
should have done。 She burned this will。 The letter never reached
its destination； but that； and other proofs； she kept； in case they
ever tried to lie away the blot。 The girl’s father had the truth from
her with every aggravation that her violent hate—I love her for it
now—could add。 Goaded by shame and dishonour he fled with his
children into a remote corner of Wales； changing his very name
that his friends might never know of his retreat； and here； no great
while afterwards； he was found dead in his bed。 The girl had left
her home； in secret； some weeks before； he had searched for her；
on foot； in every town and village near； it was on the night when
he returned home； assured that she had destroyed herself？ to hide
her shame and his； that his old heart broke。”
There was a short silence here； until Mr。 Brownlow took up the
thread of the narrative。
“Years after this；” he said； “this man’s—Edward Leeford’s—
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mother came to me。 He had left her； when only eighteen； robbed
her of jewels and money； gambled； squandered； forged； and fled to
London； where for two years he had associated with the lowest
outcasts。 She was sinking under a painful and incurable disease；
and wished to recover him before she died。 Inquiries were set on
foot； and strict searches made。 They were unavailing for a long
time； but ultimately successful； and he went back with her to
France。”
“There she died；” said Monks； “after a lingering illness； and； on
her deathbed； she bequeathed these secrets to me； together with
her unquenchable and deadly hatred of all whom they involved—
though she need not have left me that； for I had inherited it long
before。 She would not believe that the girl had destroyed herself；
and the child too； but was filled with the impression that a male
child had been born； and was alive。 I swore to her； if ever it
crossed my path； to hunt it down； never to let it rest； to pursue it
with the bitterest and most unrelenting animosity； to vent upon it
the hatred that I deeply felt； and to spit upon the empty vaunt of
that insulting will by dragging it； if I could； to the very gallows…
foot。 She was right。 He came in my way at last。 I began well； and；
but for babbling drabs； I would have finished as I began！”
As the villain folded his arms tight together； and muttered
curses on himself in the impotence of baffled malice； Mr。
Brownlow turned to the terrified group beside him； and explained
that the Jew； who had been his old accomplice and confidant； had
a large reward for keeping Oliver ensnared； of which some part
was to be given up； in the event of his being rescued； and that a
dispute on this head had led to their visit to the country houses for
the purpose of identifying hum。
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“The locket and ring？” said Mr。 Brownlow； turning to Monks。
“I bought them from the man and woman I told you of； who
stole them from the nurse； who stole them from the corpse；”
answered Monks； without raising his eyes。 “You know what
became of them。”
Mr。 Brownlow merely nodded to Mr。 Grimwig； who
disappearing with great alacrity； shortly returned； pushing in Mrs。
Bumble； and dragging her unwilling consort after him。
“Do my hi’s deceive me！” cried Mr。 Bumble； with ill…feigned
enthusiasm； “or is that little Oliver？ Oh； O…li…ver； if you know’d
how I’ve been a…grieving for you—”
“Hold your tongue； fool；” murmured Mrs。 Bumble。
“Isn’t natur’； natur’； Mrs。 Bumble？” remonstrated the
workhouse master。 “Can’t I be supposed to feel—I as brought him
up porochially—when I see him a…setting here among ladies and
gentlemen of the very affablest description！ I always loved that
boy as if he’d been my—my—my own grandfather；” said Mr。
Bumble； halting for an appropriate comparison。 “Master Oliver；
my dear； you remember the blessed gentleman in the white
waistcoat？ Ah！ he went to heaven last week； in a oak coffin with
plated handles； Oliver。”
“Come； sir；” said Mr。 Grimwig tartly； “suppress your feelings。
“I will do my endeavours； sir；” replied Mr。 Bumble。 “How do
you do； sir？ I hope you are very well” This salutation was
addressed to Mr。 Brownlow； who had stepped up to within a short
distance of the respectable couple。 He inquired； as he pointed to
Monks：
“Do you know that person？”
“No；” replied Mrs。 Bumble flatly。
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“Perhaps you don’t？” said Mr。 Brownlow； addressing her
spouse。
“I never saw him in all my life；” said Mr。 Bumble。
“Nor sold him anything； perhaps？”
“No；” replied Mr。 Bumble。
“You never had； perhaps； a certain gold locket and ring？” said
Mr。 Brownlow。
“Certainly not；” replied the matron。 “Why are we brought here
to answer to such nonsense as this？”
Again Mr。 Brownlow nodded to Mr。 Grimwig； and again that
gentleman limped away with extraordinary readiness。 But not
again did he return with a stout man and wife； for this time； he led
in two palsied women； who shook and tottered as they walked。
“You shut the door the night old Sally died；” said the foremost
one； raising her shrivelled hand； “but you couldn’t shut out the
sound； nor stop the chinks。”
“No； no；” said the other； looking round her and wagging her
toothless jaw。 “No； no； no。”
“We heard her try to tell you what she’d done； and saw you take
a paper from her hand； and watched you too； next day； to the
pawnbroker’s shop；” said the first。
“Yes；” added the second； “and it was a ‘locket and gold ring。’
We found out that； and saw it given you。 We were by。 Oh！ we were
by。”
“And we knew more than that；” resumed the first； “for she told
us often； long ago； that the young mother had told her that； feeling
she should never get over it； she was on her way； at the time that
she was taken ill； to die near the grave of the father of the child。”
“Would you like to see the pawnbroker himself？” asked Mr。
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Grimwig； with a motion towards the door。
“No；” replied the woman； “if he”—she pointed to Monks—“has
been coward enough to confess； as I see he has； and you have
sounded all these hags till you have found the right ones； I have
nothing more to say。 I did sell them； and they’re where you’ll
never get them。 What then？”
“Nothing；” replied Mr。 Brownlow； “except that it remains for us
to take care that neither of you is employed in a situation of trust
again。 You may leave the room。”
“I hope；” said Mr。 Bumble； looking about him with great
ruefulness； as Mr。 Grimwig disappeared with the two old woman—
”I hope that this unfortuna