He wore, hanging with a long strap round his neck, a kind of scripor wallet, in which to carry food. The widow set some bread andcheese before him, but he thanked her, and said that through thekindness of the charitable he had broken his fast once sincemorning, and was not hungry. When he had made her this reply, heopened his wallet, and took out a few pence, which was all itappeared to contain.
"Might I make bold to ask," he said, turning towards where Barnabystood looking on, "that one who has the gift of sight, would laythis out for me in bread to keep me on my way? Heaven"s blessingon the young feet that will bestir themselves in aid of one sohelpless as a sightless man!"
Barnaby looked at his mother, who nodded assent; in another moment he was gone upon his charitable errand. The blind man satlistening with an attentive face, until long after the sound of hisretreating footsteps was inaudible to the widow, and then said,suddenly, and in a very altered tone:
"There are various degrees and kinds of blindness, widow. Thereis the connubial blindness, ma"am, which perhaps you may haveobserved in the course of your own experience, and which is a kindof wilful and self-bandaging blindness. There is the blindness ofparty, ma"am, and public men, which is the blindness of a mad bullin the midst of a regiment of soldiers clothed in red. There isthe blind confidence of youth, which is the blindness of youngkittens, whose eyes have not yet opened on the world; and there isthat physical blindness, ma"am, of which I am, contrairy to my owndesire, a most illustrious example. Added to these, ma"am, is thatblindness of the intellect, of which we have a specimen in yourinteresting son, and which, having sometimes glimmerings anddawnings of the light, is scarcely to be trusted as a totaldarkness. Therefore, ma"am, I have taken the liberty to get himout of the way for a short time, while you and I confer together,and this precaution arising out of the delicacy of my sentimentstowards yourself, you will excuse me, ma"am, I know."
Having delivered himself of this speech with many flourishes ofmanner, he drew from beneath his coat a flat stone bottle, andholding the cork between his teeth, qualified his mug of water witha plentiful infusion of the liquor it contained. He politelydrained the bumper to her health, and the ladies, and setting itdown empty, smacked his lips with infinite relish.
"I am a citizen of the world, ma"am," said the blind man, corkinghis bottle, "and if I seem to conduct myself with freedom, it istherefore. You wonder who I am, ma"am, and what has brought mehere. Such experience of human nature as I have, leads me to thatconclusion, without the aid of eyes by which to read the movementsof your soul as depicted in your feminine features. I willsatisfy your curiosity immediately, ma"am; immediately." Withthat he slapped his bottle on its broad back, and having put itunder his garment as before, crossed his legs and folded his hands,and settled himself in his chair, previous to proceeding anyfurther.
The change in his manner was so unexpected, the craft andwickedness of his deportment were so much aggravated by hiscondition--for we are accustomed to see in those who have lost ahuman sense, something in its place almost divine--and this alteration bred so many fears in her whom he addressed, that shecould not pronounce one word. After waiting, as it seemed, forsome remark or answer, and waiting in vain, the visitor resumed:
"Madam, my name is Stagg. A friend of mine who has desired thehonour of meeting with you any time these five years past, hascommissioned me to call upon you. I should be glad to whisper thatgentleman"s name in your ear.--Zounds, ma"am, are you deaf? Do youhear me say that I should be glad to whisper my friend"s name inyour ear?"
"You need not repeat it," said the widow, with a stifled groan; "Isee too well from whom you come."
"But as a man of honour, ma"am," said the blind man, strikinghimself on the breast, "whose credentials must not be disputed, Itake leave to say that I WILL mention that gentleman"s name. Ay,ay," he added, seeming to catch with his quick ear the very motionof her hand, "but not aloud. With your leave, ma"am, I desire thefavour of a whisper."
She moved towards him, and stooped down. He muttered a word in herear; and, wringing her hands, she paced up and down the room like one distracted. The blind man, with perfect composure, producedhis bottle again, mixed another glassful; put it up as before; and,drinking from time to time, followed her with his face in silence.
"You are slow in conversation, widow," he said after a time,pausing in his draught. "We shall have to talk before your son."