Two days later, however, they unexpectedly returned, announcing a complete change in their plans.The bridegroom (thinking, probably, that he would be safer out of England than in it) had been pleasing the bride's fancy by his descriptions of the climate and the scenery of southern parts.The new Mrs.James Smith was all curosity to see Spain and Italy; and, having often proved herself an excellent sailor on board her father's vessel, was anxious to go to the Mediterranean in the easiest way by sea.
Her affectionate husband, having now no other object in life than to gratify her wishes, had given up the Highland excursion, and had returned to have his yacht got ready for sea immediately.In this explanation there was nothing to awaken the suspicions of the lady's parents.The mother thought Mr.James Smith a model among bridegrooms.The father lent his assistance to man the yacht at the shortest notice with as smart a crew as could be picked up about the town.Principally through his exertions, the vessel was got ready for sea with extraordinary dispatch.The sails were bent, the provisions were put on board, and Mr.James Smith sailed for the Mediterranean with the unfortunate woman who believed herself to be his wife, before Mr.Dark and myself set forth to look after him from Darrock Hall.
Such was the true account of my master's infamous conduct in Scotland as it was related to me.On concluding, Mr.Dark hinted that he had something still left to tell me, but declared that he was too sleepy to talk any more that night.As soon as we were awake the next morning he returned to the subject.
"I didn't finish all I had to say last night, did I?" he began.
You unfortunately told me enough, and more than enough, to prove the truth of the statement in the anonymous letter," I answered.
"Yes," says Mr.Dark, "but did I tell you who wrote the anonymous letter?""You don't mean to say that you have found that out!" says I.
"I think I have," was the cool answer."When I heard about your precious master paying off the regular crew of the yacht I put the circumstance by in my mind, to be brought out again and sifted a little as soon as the opportunity offered.It offered in about half an hour.Says I to the gauger, who was the principal talker in the room: 'How about those men that Mr.Smith paid off?
Did they all go as soon as they got their money, or did they stop here till they had spent every farthing of it in the public-houses?' The gauger laughs.'No such luck,' says he, in the broadest possible Scotch (which I translate into English, William, for your benefit); 'no such luck; they all went south, to spend their money among finer people than us--all, that is to say, with one exception.It was thought the steward of the yacht had gone along with the rest, when, the very day Mr.Smith sailed for the Mediterranean, who should turn up unexpectedly but the steward himself! Where he had been hiding, and why he had been hiding, nobody could tell.' 'Perhaps he had been imitating his master, and looking out for a wife,' says I.'Likely enough,'
says the gauger; 'he gave a very confused account of himself, and he cut all questions short by going away south in a violent hurry.' That was enough for me: I let the subject drop.Clear as daylight, isn't it, William? The steward suspected something wrong--the steward waited and watched--the steward wrote that anonymous letter to your mistress.We can find him, if we want him, by inquiring at Cowes;and we can send to the church for legal evidence of the marriage as soon as we are instructed to do so.All that we have got to do now is to go back to your mistress, and see what course she means to take under the circumstances.It's a pretty case, William, so far--an uncommonly pretty case, as it stands at present."We returned to Darrock Hall as fast as coaches and post-horses could carry us.
Having from the first believed that the statement in the anonymous letter was true, my mistress received the bad news we brought calmly and resignedly--so far, at least, as outward appearances went.She astonished and disappointed Mr.Dark by declining to act in any way on the information that he had collected for her, and by insisting that the whole affair should still be buried in the profoundest secrecy.For the first time since I had known my traveling companion, he became depressed in spirits on hearing that nothing more was to be done, and, although he left the Hall with a handsome present, he left it discontentedly.
"Such a pretty case, William," says he, quite sorrowfully, as we shook hands--"such an uncommonly pretty case--it's a thousand pities to stop it, in this way, before it's half over!""You don't know what a proud lady and what a delicate lady my mistress is," I answered."She would die rather than expose her forlorn situation in a public court for the sake of punishing her husband.""Bless your simple heart!" says Mr.Dark, "do you really think, now, that such a case as this can be hushed up?""Why not," I asked, "if we all keep the secret?""That for the secret!" cries Mr.Dark, snapping his fingers.
"Your master will let the cat out of the bag, if nobody else does.""My master!" I repeated, in amazement.
"Yes, your master!" says Mr.Dark."I have had some experience in my time, and I say you have not seen the last of him yet.Mark my words, William, Mr.James Smith will come back."With that prophecy, Mr.Dark fretfully treated himself to a last pinch of snuff, and departed in dudgeon on his journey back to his master in London.His last words hung heavily on my mind for days after he had gone.It was some weeks before I got over a habit of starting whenever the bell was rung at the front door.
