University of Virginia Library

7. CHAPTER VII.
The Duke.

At the moment that his son was quitting the tenement of the Jew, Moloch,
the Duke of — was being ushered into the private audience-chamber of his
majesty. The king had just dismissed his prime-minister and was alone
walking up and down, his feet shod in red cloth slippers, an old brocade dressing
gown hanging back from his shoulders and a cup of coffee in his hand,
this being his favourite beverage which he always imbibed, walking slowly to
and fro the apartment, and talking as he sipped and walked, if he had any one
present.

`Ah, cousin, how is this?' he said, stopping and regarding him with surprise.
`I thought by this time you were well underweigh down the Thames! How
is it I see you so soon again? Have you given up the project?'

`Your majesty, I was prepared with my party and disguises at sun-rise this
morning, and waiting in the Tower for the yacht to come to take us on board.'

`And has the scapegrace run away with it?'

`No, your majesty, on the contrary, he shortly brought the yacht into the
Tower dock, but a wreck! She had been run into during the night by a coal
barge which had drifted from her moorings, and her bowsprit with all its rigging
was carried away!'

`This is most unfortunate. How long will it take to repair her?'

`I gave orders at once in your majesty's name to Sir John who commands
the Tower, to have her repairs expedited with all celerity; and he told me that
by to-night's ebb tide she could be made ready. This will be at seven
o'clock!'

`This is better. You will then go on board and proceed with your plan of
conduct as already arranged. Did you see Tudor?'

`No, your majesty. After landing he went into the city. Sir John informed
me that he had left orders for his own crew to make the repairs, and by no
means suffer the dock workmen to interfere.'

`This was a singular order!'

`It is my impression, your majesty, that this `accident' was no accident, but
an intentional thing on the part of Tudor. Sir John informed me that he had
despatched a barge from the Tower to board the coal-lugger to reprimand them
for their carelessness, when the skipper assured him that the cable had been
slipbed by some one who had got on board unseen, and whom he saw leap from
the bows into the yacht when they came in contact. The man said, as far as
he could tell in the night, this person was a youth and wore an officer's
button!'

`This is very extraordinary. Can you give any reason for Tudor's sending
any one on such a business?' asked the king, setting down his emptied cup,
and refilling it with his own hand from a small silver coffee-pot that stood by
him.

`The order to sail this morning, if obeyed, would have prevented him from
going to the bank to take up his draft, which, without doubt, he intended to
meet by some means; in this state of the case he might have brought the coal
barge down upon his vessel to have an excuse for remaining until he could
pay this forged paper, which must have been the uppermost thought in his

mind. The statement of the master of the coal vessel is very positive, and
although Sir John was disposed to question its accuracy and to regard it only
as an excuse, I was at once inclined to give it credence; for such an act is
precisely characteristic of Tudor!'

`It is very possible,' said the king, adding a fourth lump of sugar to his fragrant
Mocha. `The sooner Tudor is out of the kingdom the better!'

`I think so, your majesty. By evening we shall be ready to embark!'

`But can he be found?'

`If your majesty will have such instructions conveyed to him to be delivered
on his first appearance on board, commanding him to prepare to leave with the
tide, and forbidding him quitting the yacht again, there is no doubt but that
we can carry out our object!'

`I will do this, your grace. Ah, Retsch,' said the king, speaking to his
German secretary who that moment entered, `What do you bring?'

`A letter, your majesty!'

`It is from this very captain of our Queen's yacht,' exclaimed the king, on
opening it. `Hark you, cousin, hear what he sayeth;

`Now what think you of this, cousin?' demanded the king after laying down
the letter, and taking very deliberately a sip of coffee, `what think you of this?
It seems to me we are doing Tudor injustice.'

`Possibly, your majesty. But this note confirms my opinion.'

`In what respect?'

`He says that the damage will need three or four days work to repair it,
when Sir John says the yacht shall be ready by sundown! It is plain he
wants to delay, and has some deep motive for it!'

`If it was only to meet the draft. to-day will have been all the time he required.
I must look upon this as an accident as he represents it. I can't believe
he would endanger the yacht from any selfish motives!'

`I will not press the point; I would rather much I were in the wrong than
your majesty. The delay of the yacht will change things materially. If
Tudor now goes to the bank he will there discover that I have taken up the
draft, and this knowledge will have upon his acts some kind of effect. It will
turn his thoughts towards me, and lead to erroneous suspicions concerning my
motive; and, that he will not quit London leaving in my possession the proof
of his guilt, I am convinced.'

`The only way, then, is to see that when he returns to his yacht, as he will
sometime to-day, to have Sir John instructed to convey to him my commands
that he remain and superintend the repairs, and not leave it again. Sir John
shall see, if need be, that he cannot,' concluded his majesty.

`I have some duties to attend to at my house, and I wish to ascertain if he
has been to the bank; therefore I will now take my leave of your majesty.
When next I see you, cousin, I hope it will be with the news on your lips that
this scapegrace who gives us so much trouble is well over the sea!'

Tudor, on leaving the Jew's habitation, took his way in a direction that
brought him to Ludgate street, ascending which and passing St. Paul's, he
stopped before a palace-like edifice situated a little retired from the street
Is was one of the club-house of London, connected with which in the extensive
chambers abovestairs, were suites of gaming-rooms, furnished with great

elegance and luxury. He entered the club-room with the air of one at home,
and equal of those who thronged it. He nodded familiarly to several noblemen
and was recognized by a similar gesture; for although the bend sinister
marred his shield, his blood and well known paternal lineage gave him admittance
and a certain consideration among the titled aristocracy. His position
in society was not, however, precisely what it would have been had there been
no cloud upon his birth, In more than one way his sensitiveness had been
wounded; and although others did not shun him for his want of name and
family, he felt a sense of degradation which embittered his spirit, and made
him reckless of character and of consequences. It was this morbid feeling
which drove him for relief to the gaming-table, as parallel states of mind
drove others to the wine-cup. In the excitement of play he lost the sense of
his equivocal position among men of honor; and whether he lost or won, the
oblivion of thought which play brought with it, was in itself a sufficient recompense
to his spirits.

We shall not follow him into the upper-rooms of the stately edifice into
which he entered. In four hours afterwards he left it without a guinea of the
large sum he had in his pocket-book when he entered. Silent and moody he
took his way towards the Tower for the purpose of going on board his vessel;
but in a little while he reflected that the Duke might be there awaiting him to
arrest him; for, save for the purpose of getting him into his power, he could
not imagine why he should so quietly have taken up the draft. He, therefore,
turned aside and entering a low inn resolved to remain in private there
until the next day when he hoped by going to the Jews' to learn the success of
Rachel. Here he remained an hour or two in a restless state of mind, when
as he glanced into the tap-room, he saw several coachmen's coats and other
garments hanging on pegs around the wall. The idea immediately occurred
to him to disguise himself, and under this protection for his person visit the
dock and see if there was any appearance of the Duke's emissaries in wait
for him. The habit he made choice of was that of a countryman, consisting of
a long frock, thick boots, a broad-brimmed white hat, and gloves and whip to
match. The landlord loaned them to him taking in pledge his own suit. In
this disguise he sallied forth, and reaching the Tower gate, found he was debarred.
Satisfied from this that his disguise was perfect, he called a waterman
and getting into his skiff asked to be pulled along the water-side of the
Tower. He soon came near his yacht, which, to his surprise, he found in the
hands of the dock-men, and her damages nearly repaired. Confounded at this
celerity, for he had given orders to his first officer to be leisurely, as there was
no haste, he saw that it was expedient for him to act with decision. That the
king had ordered this despatch he had no question; and as he saw on examination
of what had been done, that by the close of day his vessel would be in
readiness for sea, when doubtless he would have to sail with his states' prisoner,
he began to deliberate what step to take. The morrow would show him
whether the draft would be recovered; and if so, he was then fearless and free
again. To leave before he had got this out of the Duke's hand, he felt was
out of the question.

`I will see the duke myself!' he said suddenly. This disguise will aid me.
I will seek him and forthwith, too. Fortune may favor me, and if I succeed I
am free from bondage to the fair Jewess! To go to the Duke's palace will be
placing my head in the lion's mouth if he should detect me. But I must act
with firmness and without delay; for I cannot exist with a forged draft of five
thousand pounds held over my head each instant by the hand of the man
whom I have reason to fear as my greatest enemy, though, God knows, he has
been mine in refusing me his name which is my right in nature. Pull for the
shore. Give way and land me at the first stairs.'

The waterman looked surprised at this sudden and commanding order from
one whom he supposed a common peasant; but, without speaking a word in
reply he bent to his oars to which not a little alarm gave a new impetus.

We will now change the scene of our story to the interior of the town mansion

or Palace of the Duke of —. It is an hour before sundown. The
Duke has just retired from the dining room to his library where he is seated
writing a letter. It is addressed,

The Duke had just completed this epistle, and was about folding it, when
an attendant announced a gentleman who desired to see His grace on very urgent
business. With his thoughts running upon his son the Duke instantly
desired him to be shown into his presence.

`Now, perhaps some message concerning Tudor!' he said looking eagerly
towards the door. `Yet what reason have I to look for any?'

The door was thrown open by the footman, and the Duke beheld enter a
young man, scarce twenty-one with a foreign style of face, but an air decidedly
noble and high bred. The youth on seeing the Duke bowed with respectful
courtesy, uncovering his head, and then standing silent before him.

`Pray sir, what have you to communicate? Be seated, sir,' said the Duke
who did not remember ever having seen this very handsome face before.

The young man glanced around the room as if to be sure that he was alone,
and then said

`What I have to communicate to your highness, perhaps should not have a
third party as a listener.'

`We are quite alone. Proceed, sir,' said the Duke with anxious expectation
of he knew not what, yet which he believed would have reference to Tudor.'

`Your Grace has a son, I believe?'

The Duke started at this abrupt inquiry; but immediately composed himself
and answered sadly,

`Yes, unfortunately.'

`He is a source of unhappiness to your grace?'

`You but tell me what all men should know! What know you new of
him?'

`I will tell your grace.'

`First tell me, if you will do me the favor, whom I address?'

`I am the son, your grace, of a rich Jewish merchant of London!'

`A Jew! What do you here? What hast thou in common with my son?'

`Much, your grace!'

`Then say on. Out with it! It is some affair of money, I warrant me. But
if he has had money of thy father, and has not paid it, come not to me with
the tale. I have had enough of them.

`Yet it concerns his honor and thine, for your grace to know it!'

`Then out with it! I have heard much evil and can listen to more. Thy
business with me? Be prompt for time presses!'

`The career of your grace's son, Tudor Dauling, is known to me and my
father fully. My father has advanced him monies from time to time!'

`Who is thy father and was he ever repaid?' demanded the Duke abruptly.

`My father is a Jewish merchant, his name I may not give. He has been
paid, your grace, save in one instance. It is as follows:—My father advanced
him the money upon a draft for six thousand pounds. The draft was drawn
upon your grace and accepted by you. It was due before the close of banking
hours to-day, and should have been taken up by him instead of being presented
to your grace: this being the understanding. But as the time has passed
by two hours, my father has sent me with the draft to your grace, and I now
have the honor of presenting it for payment.'

The Duke listened, overcome with grief and confusion. Here then was a
second forgery close upon the heels of the first. His first indignant impulse
was to pronounce it a forgery, but he controlled his feelings with a great
effort!

`Let me see the draft?'

The young man presented it to him. He looked over it and saw that it was
the counterpart of the one he held for five thousand pounds. He sighed deeply
and remained some moments in troubled thought, deliberating whether he
had not best at once to declare it forged and let justice take its course. But
parental feeling-the memory of his son's dead and wronged mother prevailed.

`I hope it is all right, your grace,' said the young man eying him very
closely.

`Yes—yes,' answered the Duke recovering himself; `quite right! I was
thinking if I had sufficient funds at command. Due to day! So it is I see by
the date! Can you call to-morrow.'

`Does your grace intend to pay it?' demanded the young Jew severely.

`No, sir,' responded the Duke acting from the angry impulse of the moment.
`It is a forgery; sir; and thus I destroy the proofs of my son's guilt.' As he
spoke he tore the draft in pieces and cast them at his feet. To his surprise the
young man remained perfectly calm, and his countenance as unmoved as if
nothing had occurred. The Duke surveyed his handsome and singularly
serene face a few seconds in silence and wonder.

`You are not surprised?'

`No, your grace. I knew that it was a forgery when I brought it.'

`Then what kept you from arresting the author of it?' asked the Duke
trembling lest it had been done.

`That I might, if possible, induce your grace to pay it and save him.'

`This was humane and considerate in your father,' answered the Duke.

`We knew you were attached to your son, and that any public exposure
would be likely to grieve you; and that you would pay the amount before you
would see him in Newgate! We could prosecute still, but do not desire to do
so, unless encouraged by your grace!'

`I have no desire to prosecute him?'

`Then why does your grace hold in your possession a similar forged draft
for five thousand pounds?'

`How did you learn this?' demanded the Duke, rising from his chair and
advancing a step towards him with a look of astonishment and alarm.

`From his own mouth. In a word, your grace, the truth is as follows:
Your son acknowledged the draft just destroyed to be a forgery and that he
could not pay it. My father threatened to arrest him. They spoke aside

together then, for some time, and he told my father of the draft you held; and
finally by some arrangements between them, to which I am not a party, it was
decided by my father (on what considerations I am not at liberty to devulge)
that if you would surrender the forged draft you hold he would not prosecute.'

`And you have come for this paper?'

`I have, your grace.'

`This is a very extraordinary arrangement! What can your father want of it?'

`It is your son who wishes to get it into his own hands again, my lord! It
is the only forged paper out that involves himself, and he cannot rest until it is
in his possession.'