University of Virginia Library

4. CHAPTER IV.
The Bank-Clerk.

Moloch proceeded for a few moments to explain to Rachel, more in detail,
the nature of the business which the captain of the yacht had with him. When
he had ended he said with a scorching look, surveying her handsome intelligent
face,

`Do you clearly understand all this, niece?'

`Perfectly, uncle!'

`Now I will tell you how you can serve me in obtaining this money on the draft.
I have to run all the risks and my lord is not to be known in the transaction.
Neither do I wish to be. Here, you see, is the paper which he has so boldly
forged!' added Moloch, showing her the draft. `He has not only forged his
father's acceptance but the names as drawers of one of the first bankers in London.
The paper is good—none better if it can be made to pass.'

`How can I serve you, uncle?'

`By disguising yourself as a young gentleman to-morrow and driving in a
cab to the Duke's banker and presenting the draft in person!'

`What costume shall I assume?'

`That of a banker's clerk. I have the costume in the shop. The disguise
must be perfect and complete. You nor I must never be suspected in the matter,
and I shall trust to you to play your part with skill.'

`Have I ever deceived your confidence, uncle?'

`No, child, no! You are faithful and artful. I feel I can trust you. You
will present the bill at the Cashier's desk, as clerk of the House which draws
it. It will be paid if you are self-possessed.'

`I shall be composed, uncle.'

`That I am convinced of. The third day the forgery will necessarily be
discovered, and then you will find the usefulness and necessity of your disguise.
As a young man, seemingly, was seen to present the bill, they would never
think of suspecting a female. Thus you will escape as well as myself.'

`There is danger, uncle; but I will undertake it. There is nothing I will
shrink from to serve you and do injury to the Christian!' As she spoke her
dark eyes flashed and her lip curled with the proud hatred a beautiful Jewish
woman only can express when she speaks of the persecutors of her race.

`If then you would injure them farther, wed this Duke's son! You know
what I have secretly confided to you touching him. It is true. You see what
it will avail you. Do as I wish—wed him and your reward will be what I have
told you.'

`Of this I will think by and bye, uncle. At present let me only give my
thoughts to the perilous task you have imposed upon me.'

After some further directions given by Moloch to his neice she took up a
light and bidding him good night left the chamber to retire to her own: while
the money-lender, after locking his strong box and arranging his papers, went
down into his shop to give orders to the two Jewish lads to close it for the
night.

Tudor Dauling left the habitation of the Jew with a feeling of disappointment
which was, however, somewhat modified by the hopes held out on the
morrow. Nevertheless he was chagrined and vexed at being unsuccessful in
obtaining from Moloch even a sufficient sum to enable him to venture a stake
at play. The night before he had lost his last guinea and this evening came
on shore with the view, if he obtained means from the money-lender, to make
an effort to recover his losses. But he had now left his shop without anything
beyond a promise for the next day.

`It is useless for me to seek the playing saloon with empty pockets! he said
as he came to the corner of two streets, one of which led to the Halls he had
so much frequented, the other to the stairs opposite his yacht. At length, after
lingering a few moments he slowly retraced his steps towards the water-side.

As he reached the stairs he discovered, by the light of a lamp, a youth approaching.
As he came nearer he saw that it was Percy, one of his midshipmen.
The lad was passing him; but after eying him closely he stopped and
addressed him, touching his cap.

`Captain Dauling?'

`Well Percy.'

`Ah, then it is you, sir. I wasn't quite sure!'

`Where are you going? Why are you ashore to-night?'

`I came to seek you, sir.'

`And pray where were you going to find me?' asked Dauling sternly yet
with irony.

`To St. —'s Saloon, sir.'

`So then you know where I have been of late, youngster?'

`Yes, sir. If you remember, I came ashore with you the last two nights and
passing up the town after you, I saw you enter there.'

`Well, well. Never go there yourself, boy, if you want to be a happy man.
Why do you seek me now?'

`An express has just come aboard the yacht to see you, sir; but as you
were ashore, I was sent to find you, if possible, with instructions to place this
pacquet in your hand. When the man-at-arms gave it to me, he left, and relanded
at the Tower-stairs. I immediately took the third cutter by command
of the first lieutenant, and pulled ashore, and was going to seek you, sir, when
you passed me.'

`Let me see the package. Ah! the king's secretary's band, and the royal
seal,' he exclaimed, taking it from him and stepping under the quay lamp which
burned near.

`It was a king's livery-man, who came with the man-at-arms that brought it,
sir,' answered Percy.

Dauling broke the seal, and after reading the contents a few moments, he
seemed troubled.

`An order to get underweigh at sun-rise, and lay to off the tower, to take a
States' prisoner on board,' he said with a muttered tone of ill-humor, and displeasure.
`This order I can never obey. I must be present to take up my
draft of five thousand pounds. Moloch might be trusted to pay it, but trust
him I will not. If I go my honor is lost, for my forging will be divulged to
the world, and I cast into a felon's cell. Hold! I have a thought. Cannot
some way be invented to delay this matter one day—or even till afternoon?—
By three o'clcck I should have my forged draft in my hand and be free, with
the additional sum advanced by the Jew. I could pray for a storm or for a
lightning bolt to shiver my foremast, or do a damage to the yacht to detain
her; for only some accident can set aside this order of his majesty. Confound
this new duty I am put upon. I thought when I took the yacht I should have
all holiday-work, sailing the queen and the royal cortege from place to place.
This order I cannot obey. I am ruined if I obey it. Ah, I have the idea!—
Percy.'

`Sir.'

`Are the men in the boat?'

Yes, sir.'

`Follow me.'

Dauling hastened down the platform to the steps and springing into the cutter,
sternly bade the men give way out into the stream. He took the helm himself
sending the coxswain forward to take the bow oar.

`Now, Percy,' he said in a low tone to the midshipman as he leant back in
the stern-sheets, `I want a little peice of service from you.'

`What is it, sir?'

`Do you see the coal barge that was moored up stream just above the yacht
at sun-down?'

`Yes, sir, I believe I do,' answered Percy, after looking off into the river
and endeavoring to distinguish the craft in question from multitudinous others
achored all around them.

`You remember its position was just in a line with the current above us.'

`Yes sir; and that you bade them take care how they anchored or they would
drift foul of the schooner.'

`The same vessel! Now what I want you to do is this. I am steering directly
for the barge. When I reach her side I will pass near enough for you
to spring on board over the bows. The crew, at this hour, will be all turned
in below. After I leave you on board I will pull for the yacht. When you
see me fairly on my deck, I want you to slip or cut the barge's cable and let
her drift dead upon the yacht's bows.'

`She will carry away her bowsprit if not do more mischief, sir,' answered
Percy with surprise.

`She will do no more than carry away the bowsprit, for the current is not
strong enough for her to do more harm!'

`And do you want any done, sir?' inquired the midshipman with surprise.

`Yes. Percy would you like to go to the opera to-morrow night?'

`Of all things, sir.'

`The package you gave me contained an order from the King for me to get
underweigh at sun-rise in the morning.'

`Then I cant go to the opera to-morrow night,' answered Percy in a desponding
tone.

`No, not unless the barge should happen to fall foul of the yacht and carry
away enough to make it necessary to delay for repairing damages. Do you think
such an accident likely to happen?' asked the captain dryly.

`I would bet a month's pay on it,' answered Percy; that is,' he added significantly,
`if thereby I go to the opera to-morrow night!'

`That you may be sure of,' answered Dauling. `I have a good reason of
my own for wishing to delay my departure a day or two. So let us manage
this little affair between us.'

`I am ready, sir,' answered Percy promptly, and elated at the prospect of
the adventure before him and the opera as the reward of his tact and skill.

`Here we are close aboard,' cried Dauling as the boat ranged up under the
black sides of one of the huge coal-barges of the Thames. `Spring lightly
and free.'

The next instant the young midshipman stood upon the deck of the hulk and
Dauling in his cutter shot away down stream in the direction of the yacht.—
Percy walked forward without noise, and found all still. A single lamp, only,
burned dimly in the gloomy fore-cabin, the doors of which were ajar.

`They are all asleep,' he said after making his observations. `But I shall
soon wake them up with a sudden surprise.'

He then went aft, and following, with his eye, the course of the cutter, saw
it reach the yacht. He then examined the cable and seeing there were but
three or four turns round the windlass, he concluded to slip it by cutting the
stoppers instead of severing the cable with his knife. A single stroke was
sufficient, and the cable run out rapidly through the hawse-hole and fell,
splashing into the water. The barge no longer feeling the strain binding her
to her anchor, fell off and floated away from her moorings. The swift current
soon bore her onward upon its bosom, and with a fearful velocity the huge
body came sweeping down upon the yacht. Percy seeing that she was likely
to strike the schooner stern on, and do more mischief than was wanted, seized
the helm and, with great exertion, gave her a sheer obliquely, so that her starboard
quarter would strike the head of the schooner. Nearer and nearer she
came surging downward upon the arrowy tide, threatening destruction to the
graceful little vessel which lay in her course.

All was at once bustle and excitement on board the yacht; for her captain,
at the first perceptible change in the position of the barge had given the alarm
and secured his bows from damage by fenders thrown over them by his crew.
Still, as he saw how rapidly the dark body was coming down upon him, he
trembled for his vessels security, and gave quick and repeated orders to his
men to stand by and defend her bows! He had the cable loosened and slipped
so that it would easily pay out, that the schooner might be in motion also, and

so deaden the force of the shock. But with all this precaution the barge came
heavily upon them, crashing and shivering every thing that projected beyond
the bows, flying-gib-boom, gib-boom and bow-sprit, crushing them, with the
martingale and figure-head, all together, in one confused mass of ruin and devastation;
while the force with which she struck her hull made the light vessel
tremble to her kelson.

The confusion on board the barge was hardly less than that upon the deck
of the yacht; and amid the mingled curses and denunciations of the crews of
both vessels, the barge swung herself clear just as Percy, unseen, by his own
people, leaped into the schooner's fore-rigging. The hulk was borne by the
current far astern, and soon disappeared in the darkness; while the crashing
and cursing that, at intervals, came from the direction which she had taken,
bore to the ears of those on board the yacht, the evidence that she had served
other vessels in the same manner she had treated the royal craft.

The result of the `accident' wasthat the next morning the yacht, instead of
getting underweigh, was hauled into the Tower dock to have her damages repaired;
Dauling having previously sent word to the secretary of the situation
of his vessel. The same forenoon, at the appointed hour, he repaired to the
Jew's habitation. Moloch was in his shop cheapening a Dutch cloak to a customer.

`Ah, my lort, I'm glat to see you. Volk up stair mit me, iv you pleash.'

On reaching the private chamber of the money-lender, Dauling said, impatiently,

`Now, Moloch, the money?'

`It ish not come in from de panker. Vait a leetle ant it vill pe soon here,
my lort.'

`Have you arranged it so that I shall not appear in the matter?'

`Yes, my lort. You vill be all safe.'

At this moment the chamber door opened and a dark young man entered.
On seeing the guest he would have withdrawn but Moloch beckoned him to
advance.

`Have you the money?' he asked in Hebrew.

`I have, uncle.'

`You are true and faithful and a worthy daughter of Abraham. Keep composed
for the Christian plainly does not recognise you!'

`Speak in a Christian tongue, Moloch. I like not unknown words bandied
about over my head in this fashion. Is it the clerk who went for the money?'

`It is. Who paid it and how did you manage?' said the Jew, addressing the
disguised Rachel in English.

`I went to the bank, and entering sought the cashier's desk, and presenting
the draft, waited until he had examined it.'

`Was he long?' asked the Jew eagerly.

`Not more than a minute. He then counted out the money to me and took
my receipt for it. So I signed my name to it.”

`Your own name?' said Moloch alarmed and speaking in Hebrew.

`No, uncle. I signed that which first occurred to me. It was John Isaacs.'

`And you took the money and left?' he coutinued in English.

`Yes.'

`Did any one seem to suspect?'

`No.'

`Thou hast done well. Return till I shall call for thee.'

`Bravo! the youth has done Bravely,' cried Dauling as he saw the pile of
notes before the Jew. `So you don't appear in the matter at all. We are both
safe, Moloch, and the money in our hand; what youth is this who has performed
his part so bravely? He must keep concealed or he will ere long be arrested.'

`I do not fear. De youth is my neice.'

`Thy neice?' exclaimed Dauling with a start of surprise.

`Yes.'

`Disguised as a banker's clerk?'

`As you hut now beheld her.'

`I should never have suspected her sex. When she throws off this disguise,
she then is safe from suspicion, however close may be the search.'

`She will pe, my lort. But dere ish risk; de risk vas ven she vas in te pank.
Den if tey haf suspect and arrest her, she would have lost her life.'

`That is, unless she informed who sent her.'

`Which she never would haf done. She would haf die rather than petray
me.'

`Would you, in such case haf let her die?'

`Would you, my lort?' asked the Jew significantly.

`Nay, what is the Jewess to me. She is thy blood!'

`She is much to thee, my lort!'

`How? You speak in an enigma!'

`For your sake she took upon herself all this perilous risk!'

`For my sake?'

`Yes, my lort. The maiden has beheld thee with eyes of favor; and knowing it was for thee she offered her services.'

`I am truly grateful to her,' answered Dauling looking gratified and recalling
the handsome features of the Jewess. `I am honored I dare say by her regard.'

`You speak with contempt, my lort. It is true she is a Jewess. But she is
rich.'

`Ah, that equalizes all races, and levels all distinctions. I see thy aim, Moloch.
I will look more closely to thy neice when I meet her again, for by my
faith, I have not, I must confess, noted her particularly.'

`If you wed her, my lort, she will pe te richest dowried Isaaelitish maiden
in Lonton.'

Dauling eyed Moloch steadily. He wondered that, knowing his character,
and his poverty, he should wish to ally his neice with him. He reflected a
moment and could not but feel that the Jew had some deep scheme at the bottom.
Of the Jewess he had hardly thought of in any way, for he was not a
man of gallantry; and he had too much pride and too strong prejudices to
think of an alliance with a Jewess, even with a rich dowry. Nevertheless he
thought it best to favor the idea for the present, hoping yet to discover Moloch's
true motive in wishing the alliance, and trusting in some way to be able to
direct the affair to the advancement of his own interests.

He then turned his attention to the more immediate business before him;
and received from the money-lender the amount already agreed upon. Placing
it in his money-book he took leave of the Jew, and hastened to the bank
to take up the forged draft for five thousand pounds which had caused him so
much anxiety.