 | CHAPTER X. Elinor Wyllys, or, The young folk of Longbridge |  |
10. CHAPTER X.
“Sebastian are you?
If spirits can assume both form and suit,
You come to fright us!”
Shakspeare.
On their return to Saratoga, the Wyllyses and Hazlehursts
found startling intelligence awaiting them. Letters had just
arrived for Harry, for Mrs. Stanley, and for Mr. Wyllys, all
of a similar nature, and all of a character that was astounding
to those who received them. They could scarcely credit
their senses as they read the fact, that the executors of the
late John William Stanley, Esquire, were called upon to
account for all past proceedings, to William Stanley, his son
and heir. Hazlehurst was also summoned to resign that
portion of the property of which he had taken possession
two years since, when he had reached the age of twenty-five.
The letters were all written by Mr. Clapp, Charlie Hubbard's
brother-in-law, who announced himself as the attorney
of William Stanley, Esquire.
“Here are the letters addressed to myself,” said Mrs.
Stanley, who had immediately sent for Mr. Wyllys and
Hazlehurst, as soon as they returned from Lake George:
she had not yet recovered from the first agitation caused by
this extraordinary disclosure. “This is the letter purporting
to come from my husband's son, and this is from the lawyer,”
she added, extending both to Hazlehurst.
Harry read them aloud. The first ran as follows:
“I have not the honour of being acquainted with you, as
my late father was not married to you when I went to sea,
not long before his death. But I make no doubt that you
demand them, after leaving others to enjoy them for nearly
eighteen years. Things look different to a man near forty,
and to a young chap of twenty; I have been thinking of
claiming my property for some time, but was told by lawyers
that there was too many difficulties in the way, owing partly
to my own fault, partly to the fault of others. As long as I
was a youngster, I didn't care for anything but having my
own way—I snapped my fingers at all the world; but now
I am tired of a sea-faring life, and have had hardships enough
for one man: since there is a handsome property mine, by
right, I am resolved to claim it, through thick and thin. I
have left off the bottle, and intend to do my best to be respectable
for the rest of my days. I make no doubt but we
shall be able to come to some agreement; nor would I object
to a compromise for the past, though my lawyers advise me
to make no such offer. I shall be pleased, Madam, to pay
my respects to you, that we may settle our affairs at a personal
meeting, if it suits you to do so.
“Can that be my husband's son!” exclaimed Mrs. Stanley,
in an agitated voice, as Harry finished reading the letter,
and handed it to Mr. Wyllys.
“It will take more than this to convince me,” said Mr.
Wyllys, who had been listening attentively. The hand-writing
was then carefully examined by Mrs. Stanley and
Mr. Wyllys, and both were compelled to admit that it was at
least a good imitation of that of William Stanley.
“A most extraordinary proceeding in either case!” exclaimed
Harry, pacing the room.
“Mr. Clapp's letter was then read: it began with the following
words:
“I regret that I am compelled by the interests of my client,
highly, upon a subject that must necessarily prove distressing
to her, in many different ways.”
Then followed a brief statement of his first acquaintance
with Mr. Stanley; his refusing to have anything to do with
the affair; his subsequent conviction that the ragged sailor
was the individual he represented himself to be; his reluctance
to proceed, &c., &c. But since he was now convinced,
by the strongest proofs, of the justice of Mr. Stanley's
demand, and had at length undertaken to assist him with
his advice, he was, therefore, compelled by duty to give the
regular legal notice, that Mrs. Stanley, as executrix, would
be required to account for her proceedings since her husband's
death. His client, he said, would much prefer an amicable
arrangement, but, if necessary, would proceed to law immediately.
He wished to know what course Mrs. Stanley was
disposed to take, as his client's steps would necessarily be
guided by her own, and those of Mr. Wyllys and Mr. Hazlehurst.
He concluded with a civil hope that the case might
be privately adjusted.
“Clapp all over,” said Harry, as he finished reading the
letter.
“A most bare-faced imposition, depend upon it!” exclaimed
Mr. Wyllys, with strong indignation.
Mrs. Stanley was listening with anxious eagerness for the
opinion of the two gentlemen.
“I am strongly disposed to mistrust anything that comes
through Clapp's hands,” said Harry, pacing the room thoughtfully,
with the letters in his hand. “Still, I think it behooves
us, sir, to act with deliberation; the idea that it is not impossible
that this individual should be the son of Mr. Stanley,
must not be forgotten—that possibility alone would make
me sift the matter to the bottom at once.”
“Certainly; it must be looked into immediately.”
“What has the lawyer written to you?” asked Mrs. Stanley.
The letters to Mr. Wyllys and Harry were then read
aloud; they were almost identical in their contents with that
to Mrs. Stanley. The tone of each was civil and respectful;
though each contained a technical legal notice, that they
would be required to surrender to William Stanley, the
property of his late futher, according to the will of the said
John William Stanley; which the said William, his son,
had hitherto neglected to claim, though legally entitled to it.
“There is certainly an air of confidence about those letters
of Clapp's,” said Harry, “as if he felt himself on a firm
foothold. It is very extraordinary!”
“Of course: he would never move in such a case, without
some plausible proof,” said Mr. Wyllys.
“But how could he get any proof whatever, on this occasion?”
said Mrs. Stanley. “For these eighteen years,
nearly, William Stanley has been lying at the bottom of the
ocean. We have believed so, at least.”
“Proofs have been manufactured by lawyers before now,”
said Mr. Wyllys. “Do you suppose that if William Stanley
had been living, we never should have heard one trace of
him during eighteen years?—at a time, too, when his father's
death had left him a large property.”
“What sort of a man is this Mr. Clapp?” asked Mrs.
Stanley. “His manners and appearance, whenever I have
accidentally seen him with the Hubbards, struck me as very
unpleasant: but is it possible he can be so utterly devoid of
all principle, as wilfully to countenance an impostor?”
“He is a man whom I do not believe to possess one just
principle!” said Mr. Wyllys. “Within the last year or two,
I have lost all confidence in his honesty, from facts known
to me.”
“I have always had a poor opinion of him, but I have
never had much to do with him,” said Harry; “still, I
should not have thought him capable of entering into a
conspiracy so atrocious as this must be, if the story be not
true.”
“He would do any dirty work whatever, for money. I
know the man,” said Mr. Wyllys, with emphasis.
“It is possible he may be deceived himself,” observed
Mrs. Stanley.
“Very improbable,” replied Mr. Wyllys, shaking his
head.
“A shrewd, cunning, quick-witted fellow, as I remember
him, would not be likely to undertake such a case, unless he
had some prospect of success,” said Harry, pacing the room
again. “He must know perfectly well that it is make or
break with him. If he does not succeed, he will be utterly
ruined.”
“He will give us trouble, no doubt,” said Mr. Wyllys.
“He must have got the means of putting together a plausible
story. And yet his audacity confounds me!”
“Eighteen years, is it not, since William Stanley's death?”
asked Harry, turning to Mrs. Stanley.
“It will be eighteen years next October, since he sailed.
I was married in November; and from that time we have
never heard anything from the poor boy, excepting the report
that the Jefferson, the ship in which he sailed, had been
shipwrecked on the coast of Africa, the following winter,
and all hands lost. That report reached us not long before
my husband's death, and caused him to word his will in the
way it is now expressed; giving to the son of his kinsman
and old friend, half his property, in case his son's death
should be confirmed. The report was confirmed, some
months later, by the arrival of an American vessel, which
had ridden out the storm that wrecked the Jefferson: she
saw the wreck itself, sent a boat to examine it, but could
find no one living; although several bodies were picked up,
with the hope of reviving them. But you have heard the
whole sad story before, Harry.”
“Certainly; I merely wished to hear the facts again,
ma'am, from your own lips, lest I might have forgottem some
important point.”
“Although you were quite a child at the time, Harry,”
said Mr. Wyllys, “eight or ten I believe, still, I should think
you must remember the anxiety to discover the real fate of
William Stanley. I have numbers of letters in my hands,
answers to those I had written with the hope of learning
something more positive on the subject. We sent several
agents, at different times, to the principal sea-ports, to make
inquiries among the sailors; it all resulted in confirming the
first story, the loss of the Jefferson, and all on board. Every
year, of course, made the point more certain.”
“Still, we cannot say that is not impossible he should have
escaped,” observed Harry.
“Why should he have waited eighteen years, before he
appeared to claim his property?—and why should he not
come directly to his father's executors, instead of seeking
out such a fellow as Clapp? It bears on the very face every
appearance of a gross imposture. Surely, Harry, you do
not think there is a shade of probability as to the truth of
this story?”
“Only a possibility, sir; almost everything is against it,
and yet I shall not rest satisfied without going to the bottom
of the matter.”
“That, you may be sure, we shall be forced to do. Clapp
will give us trouble enough, I warrant; he will leave no
stone unturned that a dirty lawyer can move. It will be
vexatious, but there cannot be a doubt as to the result.”
“You encourage me,” said Mrs. Stanley; “and yet the
idea of entering into a suit of this kind is very painful!”
“If it be a conspiracy, there is no treatment too bad for
those who have put the plot together!” exclaimed Harry.
“What a double-dyed villain Clapp must be!”
“He will end his career in the State-Prison,” said Mr.
Wyllys.
“The Hubbards, too; that is another disagreeable part of
the business,” said Harry.
“I am truly sorry for them,” replied Mr. Wyllys. “It
will give them great pain.”
“What steps shall we first take, sir?” inquired Harry.
“We must look into the matter immediately, of course,
and find out upon what grounds they are at work.”
“I am utterly at a loss to comprehend it?” exclaimed Mrs.
Stanley. “Such a piece of bare-faced audacity!”
“Clapp must rest all his hope of success on our want of
positive proof as to the death of William Stanley,” observed
Harry. “But his having dared to bring forward an indivi
dual to personate the dead man, is really a height of impu
dence that I should never have conceived of.”
“If I did not know him to be an incarnation of cunning,
I should think he had lost his senses,” replied Mr. Wyllys;
“but happily for honest men, rogues generally overreach
themselves; after they have spread their nets, made the mesh
as intricate as possible, they almost invariably fall into their
own snare. Such will, undoubtedly, be the result in this
case.”
“Had you not better return to Longbridge at once,” said
Mrs. Stanley, “in order to inquire into the matter?”
“Certainly; we had better all be on the spot; though I
am confident we shall unmask the rogues very speedily.
You were already pledged to return with us, Mrs. Stanley;
and I shall be glad to see you at Wyllys-Roof, again, Harry.”
“Thank you, sir; you are very good,” replied Hazlehurst,
with something more than the common meaning in the
words; for he coloured a little on remembering the occurrences
of his last visit to Longbridge, more than three years
since.
“We shall find it difficult,” continued Mr. Wyllys, “to
get an insight into Clapp's views and plans. He will, no
doubt, be very wary in all he does; though voluble as ever
in what he says. I know his policy of old; he reverses the
saying of the cunning Italian, volto sciolto, bocca stretta.”
“But his first step has not been a cautious one,” observed
Harry. “It is singular he should have allowed his client to
write to Mrs. Stanley. Do you remember William Stanley's
handwriting distinctly?” he added, again handing the letter
to Mr. Wyllys.
“Yes; and it must be confessed this hand resembles his;
they must have got possession of some of young Stanley's
handwriting.”
“But how could they possibly have done so?” said Mrs.
Stanley.
“That is what we must try to find out, my dear madam.”
“He must have been very confident that it was a good
imitation,” said Hazlehurst; “for, of course, he knew you
must possess letters of William Stanley's. I don't remember
to have seen anything but his signature, myself.”
“Yes; it is a good imitation — very good; of course
Clapp was aware of it, or the letter would never have been
sent.”
“William was very like his father in appearance, though
not in character,” observed Mrs. Stanley, thoughtfully.
“He was very like him.”
“Should this man look like my poor husband, I might
have some misgivings,” said Mrs. Stanley. “We must
remember at least, my dear Mr. Wyllys, that it is not impossible
that William may be living.”
“Only one of the most improbable circumstances you could
name, my dear friend. I wish to see the man, however,
myself; for I have little doubt that I shall be able at once to
discover the imposture, entirely to our own satisfaction at
least—and that is the most important point.”
“Should the case present an appearance of truth, sufficient
to satisfy a jury, though we ourselves were not convinced,
it would still prove a very serious thing to you, my dear
Harry,” observed Mrs. Stanley.
“No doubt: very serious to Hazlehurst, and a loss to all
three. But I cannot conceive it possible that such a daring
to proceed with prudence, in order to counteract the
cunning of Clapp.”
After a conversation of some length between the friends,
it was agreed that Hazlehurst should answer the letters, in
the name of Mrs. Stanley and Mr. Wyllys, as well as his
own. It was also decided that they should return to Longbridge
immediately, and not take any decided steps until
they had seen the individual purporting to be William
Stanley. The bare possibility that Mr. Stanley's son might
be living, determined Mrs. Stanley and Hazlehurst to pursue
this course; although Mr. Wyllys, who had not a doubt on
the subject from the first, had felt no scruple in considering
the claimant as an impostor. We give Harry's letter to Mr.
Clapp.
“The letters addressed by you to Mrs. Stanley, Mr.
Wyllys and myself, of the date of last Tuesday, have just
reached us. I shall not dwell on the amazement which we
naturally felt in receiving a communication so extraordinary,
which calls upon us to credit the existence of an individual,
whom we have every reason to believe has lain for nearly
eighteen years at the bottom of the deep: it will be sufficient
that I declare, what you are probably already prepared to
hear, that we see no cause for changing our past opinions on
this subject. We believe to-day, as we have believed for
years, that William Stanley was drowned in the wreck of
the Jefferson, during the winter of 181-. We can command
to-day, the same proofs which produced conviction at the
time when this question was first carefully examined. We
have learned no new fact to change the character of these
proofs.
“The nature of the case is such, however, as to admit the
possibility—and it is a bare possibility only—of the existence
of William Stanley. It is not necessarily impossible that he
the weight of probability against such an escape, has more
than a hundred-fold the force of that which would favour a
contrary supposition. Such being the circumstances, Mr.
Stanley's executors, and his legatee, actuated by the same
motives which have constantly guided them since his death,
are prepared in the present instance to discharge their duty,
at whatever cost it may be. They are prepared to receive
and examine any proofs, in the possession of yourself and
your client, as to the identity of the individual purporting to
be William Stanley, only son of the late John William
Stanley, of — county, Pennsylvania. They demand these
proofs. But, they are also prepared, sir, to pursue with the
full force of justice, and the law of the land, any individual
who shall attempt to advance a false claim to the name and
inheritance of the dead. This matter, once touched, must
be entirely laid bare: were duty out of the question, indignation
alone would be sufficient to urge them, at any cost of
time and vexation, to unmask one who, if not William
Stanley, must be a miserable impostor — to unravel what
must either prove an extraordinary combination of circumstances,
or a base conspiracy.
“Prepared, then, to pursue either course, as justice shall
dictate, Mrs. Stanley and Mr. Wyllys, executors of the late
Mr. Stanley, and myself, his legatee, demand: First, an
interview with the individual claiming to be William Stanley.
Secondly, whatever proofs of the identity of the claimant
you may have in your possession. And we here pledge
ourselves to acknowledge the justice of the claim advanced,
if the evidence shall prove sufficient to establish it; or in the
event of a want of truth and consistency in the evidence
supporting this remarkable claim, we shall hold it a duty to
bring to legal punishment, those whom we must then believe
the guilty parties connected with it.
“Mrs. Stanley and Mr. Wyllys wish you, sir, to understand
this letter as an answer to those addressed by you to themselves.
where I shall also join them; and we request that your father
communications to us, on this subject, may be addressed to
Wyllys-Roof.
This letter was written, and approved by Mrs. Stanley
and Mr. Wyllys, before the consultation broke up; it was
also signed by them, as well as by Harry.
The amazement of Miss Wyllys and Elinor, on hearing
the purport of Mr. Clapp's letters, was boundless. Had
they seen William Stanley rise from the ground before them,
they could scarcely have been more astonished; not a shadow
of doubt as to his death in the Jefferson, had crossed their
minds for years. Like their friends, they believed it a plot
of Mr. Clapp's; and yet his daring to take so bold a step
seemed all but incredible.
When some hours' consideration had made the idea rather
more familiar to the minds of our friends, they began to look
at the consequences, and they clearly saw many difficulties
and vexations before the matter could be even favourably
settled; but if this client of Mr. Clapp's were to succeed in
establishing a legal claim to the Stanley estate, the result
would produce much inconvenience to Mrs. Stanley, still
greater difficulties to Mr. Wyllys, while Harry would be
entirely ruined in a pecuniary sense; since the small property
he had inherited from his father, would not suffice to
meet half the arrears he would be obliged to discharge, in
restoring his share of the Stanley estate to another. Hazlehurst
had decided, from the instant the claim was laid before
him, that the only question with himself would regard his
own opinion on the subject; the point must first be clearly
settled to his own judgment. He would see the man who
claimed to be the son of his benefactor, he would examine
the matter as impartially as he could, and then determine for
himself. Had he any good reason whatever for believing
resign the property to him, at every cost.
All probability was, however, thus far, against the identity
of the claimant; and unless Hazlehurst could believe in his
good faith and honesty, every inch of the ground should be
disputed to the best of his ability. Mr. Wyllys was very
confident of defeating one whom he seriously believed an
impostor: it was a dirty, disagreeable job to undertake, but
he was sanguine as to the result. Mrs. Stanley was at first
quite overcome by agitation and astonishment; she had some
doubts and anxieties; misgivings would occasionally cross
her mind, in spite of herself, in spite of Mr. Wyllys's opinion;
and the bare idea of opposing one who might possibly be
her husband's son, affected all her feelings. Like Hazlehurst,
she was very desirous to examine farther into the
matter, without delay; scarcely knowing yet what to hope
and what to fear.
Ellsworth and Mrs. Creighton soon learned the extraordinary
summons which Harry had received; he informed
them of the facts himself.
“The man is an impostor, depend upon it, Mr. Hazlehurst!”
exclaimed Mrs. Creighton, with much warmth.
“I have little doubt of it,” replied Harry; “for I do not
see how he can well be anything else.”
“You know, Hazlehurst, that I am entirely at your service
in any way you please,” said Ellsworth.
“Thank you, Ellsworth; I have a habit of looking to you
in any difficulty, as you know already.”
“But I cannot conceive that it should be at all a difficult
matter to unravel so coarse a plot as this must be!” cried
Mrs. Creighton. “What possible foundation can these men
have for their story? Tell me all about it, Mr. Hazlehurst,
pray!” continued the lady, who had been standing when
Harry entered the room, prepared to accompany her brother
and himself to Miss Wyllys's rooms. “Sit down, I beg,
continued, taking a seat on the sofa.
Harry followed her example. “You are only likely to
hear a great deal too much of it I fear, if you permit Ellsworth
and myself to talk the matter over before you.” He
then proceeded to give some of the most important facts, as
far as he knew them himself, at least. Judging from this
account, Mr. Ellsworth pronounced himself decidedly inclined
to think with Mr. Wyllys, that this claim was a fabrication
of Clapp's. Mrs. Creighton was very warm in the
expression of her indignation and her sympathy. After a
long and animated conversation, Mr. Ellsworth proposed
that they should join the Wyllyses: his sister professed
herself quite ready to do so; and, accompanied by Harry,
they went to the usual rendezvous of their party, at Congress
Hall.
Robert Hazlehurst had already left Saratoga with his
family, having returned from Lake George for that purpose,
a day earlier than his friends; and when Mrs. Creighton and
the two gentlemen entered Miss Wyllys's parlour, they only
found there the Wyllyses themselves and Mary Van Alstyne,
all of whom had already heard of Harry's threatened difficulties.
Neither Miss Agnes nor Elinor had seen him since
he had received the letters, and they both cordially expressed
their good wishes in his behalf; for they both seemed inclined
to Mr. Wyllys's opinion of the new claimant.
“We have every reason to wish that the truth may soon
be discovered,” said Miss Agnes.
“I am sorry you should have such a painful, vexatious
task before you,” said Elinor, frankly offering her hand to
Harry.
“Have you no sympathies for this new sailor cousin of
yours, Miss Wyllys?—I must say I have a very poor opinion
of him myself,” said Mrs. Creighton.
“Whoever he be, I hope he will only receive what is
justly his due,” replied Elinor.
“I am happy, Miss Wyllys, that you seem favourably
inclined towards Hazlehurst,” said Mr. Ellsworth. “On
the present occasion I consider him not only as a friend but
as a client, and that is the dearest tie we lawyers are supposed
to feel.”
“One would naturally incline rather more to a client of
yours ex officio, Mr. Ellsworth, than to one of Mr. Clapp's,
that very disagreeable brother-in-law of Miss Patsey Hubbard's,”
said Mary Van Alstyne, smiling.
It was soon decided that the party should break up the
next day. The Wyllyses, with Mrs. Stanley and Mary Van
Alstyne, were to return to Longbridge. Mrs. Creighton and
Mr. Ellsworth were obliged to pay their long deferred visit to
Nahant, the gentleman having some business of importance
in the neighbourhood; but it was expected that they also
should join the family at Wyllys-Roof as early as possible.
Jane was to return to New York with her sister-in-law, Mrs.
St. Leger, leaving Miss Emma Taylor flirting at Saratoga,
under the charge of a fashionable chaperon; while Mr.
Hopkins was still fishing at Lake George.
| CHAPTER X. Elinor Wyllys, or, The young folk of Longbridge | |