Having said this in the politest and blandest tone possible, hewent on dressing, and took no further notice of his guest, whostood in the same spot as uncertain what to do next, eyeing himsulkily from time to time.
"Are you going to speak to me, master?" he said, after a longsilence.
"My worthy creature," returned Mr Chester, "you are a littleruffled and out of humour. I"ll wait till you"re quite yourselfagain. I am in no hurry."
This behaviour had its intended effect. It humbled and abashed theman, and made him still more irresolute and uncertain. Hard wordshe could have returned, violence he would have repaid withinterest; but this cool, complacent, contemptuous, self-possessedreception, caused him to feel his inferiority more completely thanthe most elaborate arguments. Everything contributed to thiseffect. His own rough speech, contrasted with the soft persuasiveaccents of the other; his rude bearing, and Mr Chester"s polishedmanner; the disorder and negligence of his ragged dress, and theelegant attire he saw before him; with all the unaccustomedluxuries and comforts of the room, and the silence that gave himleisure to observe these things, and feel how ill at ease they madehim; all these influences, which have too often some effect ontutored minds and become of almost resistless power when brought tobear on such a mind as his, quelled Hugh completely. He moved bylittle and little nearer to Mr Chester"s chair, and glancing over his shoulder at the reflection of his face in the glass, as ifseeking for some encouragement in its expression, said at length,with a rough attempt at conciliation,"ARE you going to speak to me, master, or am I to go away?"
"Speak you," said Mr Chester, "speak you, good fellow. I havespoken, have I not? I am waiting for you."
"Why, look"ee, sir," returned Hugh with increased embarrassment,"am I the man that you privately left your whip with before yourode away from the Maypole, and told to bring it back whenever hemight want to see you on a certain subject?"
"No doubt the same, or you have a twin brother," said Mr Chester,glancing at the reflection of his anxious face; "which is notprobable, I should say."
"Then I have come, sir," said Hugh, "and I have brought it back,and something else along with it. A letter, sir, it is, that Itook from the person who had charge of it." As he spoke, he laidupon the dressing-table, Dolly"s lost epistle. The very letterthat had cost her so much trouble.
"Did you obtain this by force, my good fellow?" said Mr Chester,casting his eye upon it without the least perceptible surprise orpleasure.
"Not quite," said Hugh. "Partly."
"Who was the messenger from whom you took it?"
"A woman. One Varden"s daughter."
"Oh indeed!" said Mr Chester gaily. "What else did you take fromher?"
"What else?"
"Yes," said the other, in a drawling manner, for he was fixing avery small patch of sticking plaster on a very small pimple nearthe corner of his mouth. "What else?"
"Well a kiss," replied Hugh, after some hesitation.
"And what else?"
"Nothing."
"I think," said Mr Chester, in the same easy tone, and smilingtwice or thrice to try if the patch adhered--"I think there wassomething else. I have heard a trifle of jewellery spoken of--amere trifle--a thing of such little value, indeed, that you mayhave forgotten it. Do you remember anything of the kind--such as abracelet now, for instance?"
Hugh with a muttered oath thrust his hand into his breast, anddrawing the bracelet forth, wrapped in a scrap of hay, was about tolay it on the table likewise, when his patron stopped his hand andbade him put it up again.
"You took that for yourself my excellent friend," he said, "and maykeep it. I am neither a thief nor a receiver. Don"t show it tome. You had better hide it again, and lose no time. Don"t let mesee where you put it either," he added, turning away his head.
"You"re not a receiver!" said Hugh bluntly, despite the increasingawe in which he held him. "What do you call THAT, master?"
striking the letter with his heavy hand.
"I call that quite another thing," said Mr Chester coolly. "Ishall prove it presently, as you will see. You are thirsty, Isuppose?"
Hugh drew his sleeve across his lips, and gruffly answered yes.
"Step to that closet and bring me a bottle you will see there, anda glass."
He obeyed. His patron followed him with his eyes, and when hisback was turned, smiled as he had never done when he stood besidethe mirror. On his return he filled the glass, and bade him drink.
That dram despatched, he poured him out another, and another.
"How many can you bear?" he said, filling the glass again.
"As many as you like to give me. Pour on. Fill high. A bumperwith a bead in the middle! Give me enough of this," he added, ashe tossed it down his hairy throat, "and I"ll do murder if you askme!"
"As I don"t mean to ask you, and you might possibly do it without being invited if you went on much further," said Mr Chester withgreat composure, we will stop, if agreeable to you, my good friend,at the next glass. You were drinking before you came here."
"I always am when I can get it," cried Hugh boisterously, wavingthe empty glass above his head, and throwing himself into a rudedancing attitude. "I always am. Why not? Ha ha ha! What"s sogood to me as this? What ever has been? What else has kept awaythe cold on bitter nights, and driven hunger off in starving times?
What else has given me the strength and courage of a man, when menwould have left me to die, a puny child? I should never have had aman"s heart but for this. I should have died in a ditch. Where"she who when I was a weak and sickly wretch, with trembling legs andfading sight, bade me cheer up, as this did? I never knew him; notI. I drink to the drink, master. Ha ha ha!"
"You are an exceedingly cheerful young man," said Mr Chester,putting on his cravat with great deliberation, and slightly movinghis head from side to side to settle his chin in its proper place.
"Quite a boon companion."
"Do you see this hand, master," said Hugh, "and this arm?" baringthe brawny limb to the elbow. "It was once mere skin and bone, and would have been dust in some poor churchyard by this time, but forthe drink."
"You may cover it," said Mr Chester, "it"s sufficiently real inyour sleeve."
"I should never have been spirited up to take a kiss from the proudlittle beauty, master, but for the drink," cried Hugh. "Ha ha ha!