diff options
Diffstat (limited to '3767-h')
| -rw-r--r-- | 3767-h/3767-h.htm | 1713 |
1 files changed, 1713 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/3767-h/3767-h.htm b/3767-h/3767-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..f72edd3 --- /dev/null +++ b/3767-h/3767-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,1713 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html + PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en"> +<head> +<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=US-ASCII" /> +<title>The Man who kept his Money in a Box, by Anthony Trollope</title> + <style type="text/css"> +/*<![CDATA[ XML blockout */ +<!-- + P { margin-top: .75em; + margin-bottom: .75em; + } + P.gutsumm { margin-left: 5%;} + P.poetry {margin-left: 3%; } + .GutSmall { font-size: 0.7em; } + H1, H2 { + text-align: center; + margin-top: 2em; + margin-bottom: 2em; + } + H3, H4, H5 { + text-align: center; + margin-top: 1em; + margin-bottom: 1em; + } + BODY{margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; + } + table { border-collapse: collapse; } +table {margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto;} + td { vertical-align: top; border: 1px solid black;} + td p { margin: 0.2em; } + .blkquot {margin-left: 4em; margin-right: 4em;} /* block indent */ + + .smcap {font-variant: small-caps;} + + .pagenum {position: absolute; + left: 92%; + font-size: small; + text-align: right; + font-weight: normal; + color: gray; + } + img { border: none; } + img.dc { float: left; width: 50px; height: 50px; } + p.gutindent { margin-left: 2em; } + div.gapspace { height: 0.8em; } + div.gapline { height: 0.8em; width: 100%; border-top: 1px solid;} + div.gapmediumline { height: 0.3em; width: 40%; margin-left:30%; + border-top: 1px solid; } + div.gapmediumdoubleline { height: 0.3em; width: 40%; margin-left:30%; + border-top: 1px solid; border-bottom: 1px solid;} + div.gapshortdoubleline { height: 0.3em; width: 20%; + margin-left: 40%; border-top: 1px solid; + border-bottom: 1px solid; } + div.gapdoubleline { height: 0.3em; width: 50%; + margin-left: 25%; border-top: 1px solid; + border-bottom: 1px solid;} + div.gapshortline { height: 0.3em; width: 20%; margin-left:40%; + border-top: 1px solid; } + .citation {vertical-align: super; + font-size: .8em; + text-decoration: none;} + img.floatleft { float: left; + margin-right: 1em; + margin-top: 0.5em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; } + img.floatright { float: right; + margin-left: 1em; margin-top: 0.5em; + margin-bottom: 0.5em; } + img.clearcenter {display: block; + margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; margin-top: 0.5em; + margin-bottom: 0.5em} + --> + /* XML end ]]>*/ + </style> +</head> +<body> +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg eBook, The Man who kept his Money in a Box, by +Anthony Trollope + + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most +other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions +whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of +the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at +www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you'll have +to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook. + + + + +Title: The Man who kept his Money in a Box + + +Author: Anthony Trollope + + + +Release Date: January 16, 2015 [eBook #3767] +[This file was first posted on August 28, 2001] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-646-US (US-ASCII) + + +***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE MAN WHO KEPT HIS MONEY IN A +BOX*** +</pre> +<p>Transcribed from the 1864 Chapman and Hall “Tales of All +Countries” edition by David Price, email +ccx074@pglaf.org</p> +<h1>THE MAN WHO KEPT HIS MONEY IN A BOX.</h1> +<p>I <span class="smcap">first</span> saw the man who kept his +money in a box in the midst of the ravine of the Via Mala. +I interchanged a few words with him or with his wife at the +hospice, at the top of the Splugen; and I became acquainted with +him in the courtyard of Conradi’s hotel at Chiavenna. +It was, however, afterwards at Bellaggio, on the lake of Como, +that that acquaintance ripened into intimacy. A good many +years have rolled by since then, and I believe this little +episode in his life may be told without pain to the feelings of +any one.</p> +<p>His name was —; let us for the present say that his name +was Greene. How he learned that my name was Robinson I do +not know, but I remember well that he addressed me by my name at +Chiavenna. To go back, however, for a moment to the Via +Mala;—I had been staying for a few days at the Golden Eagle +at Tusis,—which, by-the-bye, I hold to be the best small +inn in all Switzerland, and its hostess to be, or to have been, +certainly the prettiest landlady,—and on the day of my +departure southwards, I had walked on, into the Via Mala, so that +the diligence might pick me up in the gorge. This pass I +regard as one of the grandest spots to which my wandering steps +have ever carried me, and though I had already lingered about it +for many hours, I now walked thither again to take my last +farewell of its dark towering rocks, its narrow causeway and +roaring river, trusting to my friend the landlady to see that my +luggage was duly packed upon the diligence. I need hardly +say that my friend did not betray her trust.</p> +<p>As one goes out from Switzerland towards Italy, the road +through the Via Mala ascends somewhat steeply, and passengers by +the diligence may walk from the inn at Tusis into the gorge, and +make their way through the greater part of the ravine before the +vehicle will overtake them. This, however, Mr. Greene with +his wife and daughter had omitted to do. When the diligence +passed me in the defile, the horses trotting for a few yards over +some level portion of the road, I saw a man’s nose pressed +close against the glass of the coupé window. I saw +more of his nose than of any other part of his face, but yet I +could perceive that his neck was twisted and his eye upturned, +and that he was making a painful effort to look upwards to the +summit of the rocks from his position inside the carriage.</p> +<p>There was such a roar of wind and waters at the spot that it +was not practicable to speak to him, but I beckoned with my +finger and then pointed to the road, indicating that he should +have walked. He understood me, though I did not at the +moment understand his answering gesture. It was +subsequently, when I knew somewhat of his habits, that he +explained to me that on pointing to his open mouth, he had +intended to signify that he would be afraid of sore throat in +exposing himself to the air of that damp and narrow passage.</p> +<p>I got up into the conductor’s covered seat at the back +of the diligence, and in this position encountered the drifting +snow of the Splugen. I think it is coldest of all the +passes. Near the top of the pass the diligence stops for +awhile, and it is here, if I remember, that the Austrian +officials demand the travellers’ passports. At least +in those days they did so. These officials have now +retreated behind the Quadrilatère,—soon, as we hope, +to make a further retreat,—and the district belongs to the +kingdom of United Italy. There is a place of refreshment or +hospice here, into which we all went for a few moments, and I +then saw that my friend with the weak throat was accompanied by +two ladies.</p> +<p>“You should not have missed the Via Mala,” I said +to him, as he stood warming his toes at the huge covered +stove.</p> +<p>“We miss everything,” said the elder of the two +ladies, who, however, was very much younger than the gentleman, +and not very much older than her companion.</p> +<p>“I saw it beautifully, mamma,” said the younger +one; whereupon mamma gave her head a toss, and made up her mind, +as I thought, to take some little vengeance before long upon her +step-daughter. I observed that Miss Greene always called +her step-mother mamma on the first approach of any stranger, so +that the nature of the connection between them might be +understood. And I observed also that the elder lady always +gave her head a toss when she was so addressed.</p> +<p>“We don’t mean to enjoy ourselves till we get down +to the lake of Como,” said Mr. Greene. As I looked at +him cowering over the stove, and saw how oppressed he was with +great coats and warm wrappings for his throat, I quite agreed +with him that he had not begun to enjoy himself as yet. +Then we all got into our places again, and I saw no more of the +Greenes till we were standing huddled together in the large +courtyard of Conradi’s hotel at Chiavenna.</p> +<p>Chiavenna is the first Italian town which the tourist reaches +by this route, and I know no town in the North of Italy which is +so closely surrounded by beautiful scenery. The traveller +as he falls down to it from the Splugen road is bewildered by the +loveliness of the valleys,—that is to say, if he so +arranges that he can see them without pressing his nose against +the glass of a coach window. And then from the town itself +there are walks of two, three, and four hours, which I think are +unsurpassed for wild and sometimes startling beauties. One +gets into little valleys, green as emeralds, and surrounded on +all sides by grey broken rocks, in which Italian Rasselases might +have lived in perfect bliss; and then again one comes upon +distant views up the river courses, bounded far away by the spurs +of the Alps, which are perfect,—to which the fancy can add +no additional charm. Conradi’s hotel also is by no +means bad; or was not in those days. For my part I am +inclined to think that Italian hotels have received a worse name +than they deserve; and I must profess that, looking merely to +creature comforts, I would much sooner stay a week at the Golden +Key at Chiavenna, than with mine host of the King’s Head in +the thriving commercial town of Muddleboro, on the borders of +Yorkshire and Lancashire.</p> +<p>I am always rather keen about my room in travelling, and +having secured a chamber looking out upon the mountains, had +returned to the court-yard to collect my baggage before Mr. +Greene had succeeded in realising his position, or understanding +that he had to take upon himself the duties of settling his +family for the night in the hotel by which he was +surrounded. When I descended he was stripping off the +outermost of three great coats, and four waiters around him were +beseeching him to tell them what accommodation he would +require. Mr. Greene was giving sundry very urgent +instructions to the conductor respecting his boxes; but as these +were given in English, I was not surprised to find that they were +not accurately followed. The man, however, was much too +courteous to say in any language that he did not understand every +word that was said to him. Miss Greene was standing apart, +doing nothing. As she was only eighteen years of age, it +was of course her business to do nothing; and a very pretty +little girl she was, by no means ignorant of her own beauty, and +possessed of quite sufficient wit to enable her to make the most +of it.</p> +<p>Mr. Greene was very leisurely in his proceedings, and the four +waiters were almost reduced to despair.</p> +<p>“I want two bed-rooms, a dressing-room, and some +dinner,” he said at last, speaking very slowly, and in his +own vernacular. I could not in the least assist him by +translating it into Italian, for I did not speak a word of the +language myself; but I suggested that the man would understand +French. The waiter, however, had understood English. +Waiters do understand all languages with a facility that is +marvellous; and this one now suggested that Mrs. Greene should +follow him up-stairs. Mrs. Greene, however, would not move +till she had seen that her boxes were all right; and as Mrs. +Greene was also a pretty woman, I found myself bound to apply +myself to her assistance.</p> +<p>“Oh, thank you,” said she. “The people +are so stupid that one can really do nothing with them. And +as for Mr. Greene, he is of no use at all. You see that +box, the smaller one. I have four hundred pounds’ +worth of jewellery in that, and therefore I am obliged to look +after it.”</p> +<p>“Indeed,” said I, rather startled at this amount +of confidence on rather a short acquaintance. “In +that case I do not wonder at your being careful. But is it +not rather rash, perhaps—”</p> +<p>“I know what you are going to say. Well, perhaps +it is rash. But when you are going to foreign courts, what +are you to do? If you have got those sort of things you +must wear them.”</p> +<p>As I was not myself possessed of anything of that sort, and +had no intention of going to any foreign court, I could not argue +the matter with her. But I assisted her in getting together +an enormous pile of luggage, among which there were seven large +boxes covered with canvas, such as ladies not uncommonly carry +with them when travelling. That one which she represented +as being smaller than the others, and as holding jewellery, might +be about a yard long by a foot and a half deep. Being +ignorant in those matters, I should have thought it sufficient to +carry all a lady’s wardrobe for twelve months. When +the boxes were collected together, she sat down upon the +jewel-case and looked up into my face. She was a pretty +woman, perhaps thirty years of age, with long light yellow hair, +which she allowed to escape from her bonnet, knowing, perhaps, +that it was not unbecoming to her when thus dishevelled. +Her skin was very delicate, and her complexion good. Indeed +her face would have been altogether prepossessing had there not +been a want of gentleness in her eyes. Her hands, too, were +soft and small, and on the whole she may be said to have been +possessed of a strong battery of feminine attractions. She +also well knew how to use them.</p> +<p>“Whisper,” she said to me, with a peculiar but +very proper aspiration on the h—“Wh-hisper,” +and both by the aspiration and the use of the word I knew at once +from what island she had come. “Mr. Greene keeps all +his money in this box also; so I never let it go out of my sight +for a moment. But whatever you do, don’t tell him +that I told you so.”</p> +<p>I laid my hand on my heart, and made a solemn asseveration +that I would not divulge her secret. I need not, however, +have troubled myself much on that head, for as I walked up +stairs, keeping my eye upon the precious trunk, Mr. Greene +addressed me.</p> +<p>“You are an Englishman, Mr. Robinson,” said +he. I acknowledged that I was.</p> +<p>“I am another. My wife, however, is Irish. +My daughter,—by a former marriage,—is English +also. You see that box there.”</p> +<p>“Oh, yes,” said I, “I see it.” I +began to be so fascinated by the box that I could not keep my +eyes off it.</p> +<p>“I don’t know whether or no it is prudent, but I +keep all my money there; my money for travelling, I +mean.”</p> +<p>“If I were you, then,” I answered, “I would +not say anything about it to any one.”</p> +<p>“Oh, no, of course not,” said he; “I should +not think of mentioning it. But those brigands in Italy +always take away what you have about your person, but they +don’t meddle with the heavy luggage.”</p> +<p>“Bills of exchange, or circular notes,” I +suggested.</p> +<p>“Ah, yes; and if you can’t identify yourself, or +happen to have a headache, you can’t get them +changed. I asked an old friend of mine, who has been +connected with the Bank of England for the last fifty years, and +he assured me that there was nothing like sovereigns.”</p> +<p>“But you never get the value for them.”</p> +<p>“Well, not quite. One loses a franc, or a franc +and a half. But still, there’s the certainty, and +that’s the great matter. An English sovereign will go +anywhere,” and he spoke these words with considerable +triumph.</p> +<p>“Undoubtedly, if you consent to lose a shilling on each +sovereign.”</p> +<p>“At any rate, I have got three hundred and fifty in that +box,” he said. “I have them done up in rolls of +twenty-five pounds each.”</p> +<p>I again recommended him to keep this arrangement of his as +private as possible,—a piece of counsel which I confess +seemed to me to be much needed,—and then I went away to my +own room, having first accepted an invitation from Mrs. Greene to +join their party at dinner. “Do,” said she; +“we have been so dull, and it will be so +pleasant.”</p> +<p>I did not require to be much pressed to join myself to a party +in which there was so pretty a girl as Miss Greene, and so +attractive a woman as Mrs. Greene. I therefore accepted the +invitation readily, and went away to make my toilet. As I +did so I passed the door of Mr. Greene’s room, and saw the +long file of boxes being borne into the centre of it.</p> +<p>I spent a pleasant evening, with, however, one or two slight +drawbacks. As to old Greene himself, he was all that was +amiable; but then he was nervous, full of cares, and somewhat apt +to be a bore. He wanted information on a thousand points, +and did not seem to understand that a young man might prefer the +conversation of his daughter to his own. Not that he showed +any solicitude to prevent conversation on the part of his +daughter. I should have been perfectly at liberty to talk +to either of the ladies had he not wished to engross all my +attention to himself. He also had found it dull to be alone +with his wife and daughter for the last six weeks.</p> +<p>He was a small spare man, probably over fifty years of age, +who gave me to understand that he had lived in London all his +life, and had made his own fortune in the city. What he had +done in the city to make his fortune he did not say. Had I +come across him there I should no doubt have found him to be a +sharp man of business, quite competent to teach me many a useful +lesson of which I was as ignorant as an infant. Had he +caught me on the Exchange, or at Lloyd’s, or in the big +room of the Bank of England, I should have been compelled to ask +him everything. Now, in this little town under the Alps, he +was as much lost as I should have been in Lombard Street, and was +ready enough to look to me for information. I was by no +means chary in giving him my counsel, and imparting to him my +ideas on things in general in that part of the world;—only +I should have preferred to be allowed to make myself civil to his +daughter.</p> +<p>In the course of conversation it was mentioned by him that +they intended to stay a few days at Bellaggio, which, as all the +world knows, is a central spot on the lake of Como, and a +favourite resting-place for travellers. There are three +lakes which all meet here, and to all of which we give the name +of Como. They are properly called the lakes of Como, +Colico, and Lecco; and Bellaggio is the spot at which their +waters join each other. I had half made up my mind to sleep +there one night on my road into Italy, and now, on hearing their +purpose, I declared that such was my intention.</p> +<p>“How very pleasant,” said Mrs. Greene. +“It will be quite delightful to have some one to show us +how to settle ourselves, for really—”</p> +<p>“My dear, I’m sure you can’t say that you +ever have much trouble.”</p> +<p>“And who does then, Mr. Greene? I am sure +Sophonisba does not do much to help me.”</p> +<p>“You won’t let me,” said Sophonisba, whose +name I had not before heard. Her papa had called her Sophy +in the yard of the inn. Sophonisba Greene! Sophonisba +Robinson did not sound so badly in my ears, and I confess that I +had tried the names together. Her papa had mentioned to me +that he had no other child, and had mentioned also that he had +made his fortune.</p> +<p>And then there was a little family contest as to the amount of +travelling labour which fell to the lot of each of the party, +during which I retired to one of the windows of the big front +room in which we were sitting. And how much of this labour +there is incidental to a tourist’s pursuits! And how +often these little contests do arise upon a journey! Who +has ever travelled and not known them? I had taken up such +a position at the window as might, I thought, have removed me out +of hearing; but nevertheless from time to time a word would catch +my ear about that precious box. “I have never taken +<i>my</i> eyes off it since I left England,” said Mrs. +Greene, speaking quick, and with a considerable brogue +superinduced by her energy. “Where would it have been +at Basle if I had not been looking after it?” +“Quite safe,” said Sophonisba; “those large +things always are safe.” “Are they, Miss? +That’s all you know about it. I suppose your +bonnet-box was quite safe when I found it on the platform +at—at—I forget the name of the place?”</p> +<p>“Freidrichshafen,” said Sophonisba, with almost an +unnecessary amount of Teutonic skill in her pronunciation. +“Well, mamma, you have told me of that at least twenty +times.” Soon after that, the ladies took them to +their own rooms, weary with the travelling of two days and a +night, and Mr. Greene went fast asleep in the very comfortless +chair in which he was seated.</p> +<p>At four o’clock on the next morning we started on our +journey.</p> +<blockquote><p>“Early to bed, and early to rise,<br /> +Is the way to be healthy, and wealthy, and wise.”</p> +</blockquote> +<p>We all know that lesson, and many of us believe in it; but if +the lesson be true, the Italians ought to be the healthiest and +wealthiest and wisest of all men and women. Three or four +o’clock seems to them quite a natural hour for commencing +the day’s work. Why we should have started from +Chiavenna at four o’clock in order that we might be kept +waiting for the boat an hour and a half on the little quay at +Colico, I don’t know; but such was our destiny. There +we remained an hour and a half; Mrs. Greene sitting +pertinaciously on the one important box. She had designated +it as being smaller than the others, and, as all the seven were +now ranged in a row, I had an opportunity of comparing +them. It was something smaller,—perhaps an inch less +high, and an inch and a half shorter. She was a sharp +woman, and observed my scrutiny. “I always know +it,” she said in a loud whisper, “by this little hole +in the canvas,” and she put her finger on a slight rent on +one of the ends. “As for Greene, if one of those +Italian brigands were to walk off with it on his shoulders, +before his eyes, he wouldn’t be the wiser. How +helpless you men are, Mr. Robinson!”</p> +<p>“It is well for us that we have women to look after +us.”</p> +<p>“But you have got no one to look after you;—or +perhaps you have left her behind?”</p> +<p>“No, indeed. I’m all alone in the world as +yet. But it’s not my own fault. I have asked +half a dozen.”</p> +<p>“Now, Mr. Robinson!” And in this way the +time passed on the quay at Colico, till the boat came and took us +away. I should have preferred to pass my time in making +myself agreeable to the younger lady; but the younger lady stood +aloof, turning up her nose, as I thought, at her mamma.</p> +<p>I will not attempt to describe the scenery about Colico. +The little town itself is one of the vilest places under the sun, +having no accommodation for travellers, and being excessively +unhealthy; but there is very little either north or south of the +Alps,—and, perhaps, I may add, very little +elsewhere,—to beat the beauty of the mountains which +cluster round the head of the lake. When we had sat upon +those boxes that hour and a half, we were taken on board the +steamer, which had been lying off a little way from the shore, +and then we commenced our journey. Of course there was a +good deal of exertion and care necessary in getting the packages +off from the shore on to the boat, and I observed that any one +with half an eye in his head might have seen that the mental +anxiety expended on that one box which was marked by the small +hole in the canvas far exceeded that which was extended to all +the other six boxes. “They deserve that it should be +stolen,” I said to myself, “for being such +fools.” And then we went down to breakfast in the +cabin.</p> +<p>“I suppose it must be safe,” said Mrs. Greene to +me, ignoring the fact that the cabin waiter understood English, +although she had just ordered some veal cutlets in that +language.</p> +<p>“As safe as a church,” I replied, not wishing to +give much apparent importance to the subject.</p> +<p>“They can’t carry it off here,” said Mr. +Greene. But he was innocent of any attempt at a joke, and +was looking at me with all his eyes.</p> +<p>“They might throw it overboard,” said +Sophonisba. I at once made up my mind that she could not be +a good-natured girl. The moment that breakfast was over, +Mrs. Greene returned again up-stairs, and I found her seated on +one of the benches near the funnel, from which she could keep her +eyes fixed upon the box. “When one is obliged to +carry about one’s jewels with one, one must be careful, Mr. +Robinson,” she said to me apologetically. But I was +becoming tired of the box, and the funnel was hot and unpleasant, +therefore I left her.</p> +<p>I had made up my mind that Sophonisba was ill-natured; but, +nevertheless, she was pretty, and I now went through some little +manœuvres with the object of getting into conversation with +her. This I soon did, and was surprised by her +frankness. “How tired you must be of mamma and her +box,” she said to me. To this I made some answer, +declaring that I was rather interested than otherwise in the +safety of the precious trunk. “It makes me +sick,” said Sophonisba, “to hear her go on in that +way to a perfect stranger. I heard what she said about her +jewellery.”</p> +<p>“It is natural she should be anxious,” I said, +“seeing that it contains so much that is +valuable.”</p> +<p>“Why did she bring them?” said Sophonisba. +“She managed to live very well without jewels till papa +married her, about a year since; and now she can’t travel +about for a month without lugging them with her everywhere. +I should be so glad if some one would steal them.”</p> +<p>“But all Mr. Greene’s money is there +also.”</p> +<p>“I don’t want papa to be bothered, but I declare I +wish the box might be lost for a day or so. She is such a +fool; don’t you think so, Mr. Robinson?”</p> +<p>At this time it was just fourteen hours since I first had made +their acquaintance in the yard of Conradi’s hotel, and of +those fourteen hours more than half had been passed in bed. +I must confess that I looked upon Sophonisba as being almost more +indiscreet than her mother-in-law. Nevertheless, she was +not stupid, and I continued my conversation with her the greatest +part of the way down the lake towards Bellaggio.</p> +<p>These steamers which run up and down the lake of Como and the +Lago Maggiore, put out their passengers at the towns on the banks +of the water by means of small rowing-boats, and the persons who +are about to disembark generally have their own articles ready to +their hands when their turn comes for leaving the steamer. +As we came near to Bellaggio, I looked up my own portmanteau, +and, pointing to the beautiful wood-covered hill that stands at +the fork of the waters, told my friend Greene that he was near +his destination. “I am very glad to hear it,” +said he, complacently, but he did not at the moment busy himself +about the boxes. Then the small boat ran up alongside the +steamer, and the passengers for Como and Milan crowded up the +side.</p> +<p>“We have to go in that boat,” I said to +Greene.</p> +<p>“Nonsense!” he exclaimed.</p> +<p>“Oh, but we have.”</p> +<p>“What! put our boxes into that boat,” said Mrs. +Greene. “Oh dear! Here, boatman! there are +seven of these boxes, all in white like this,” and she +pointed to the one that had the hole in the canvas. +“Make haste. And there are two bags, and my dressing +case, and Mr. Greene’s portmanteau. Mr. Greene, where +is your portmanteau?”</p> +<p>The boatman whom she addressed, no doubt did not understand a +word of English, but nevertheless he knew what she meant, and, +being well accustomed to the work, got all the luggage together +in an incredibly small number of moments.</p> +<p>“If you will get down into the boat,” I said, +“I will see that the luggage follows you before I leave the +deck.”</p> +<p>“I won’t stir,” she said, “till I see +that box lifted down. Take care; you’ll let it fall +into the lake. I know you will.”</p> +<p>“I wish they would,” Sophonisba whispered into my +ear.</p> +<p>Mr. Greene said nothing, but I could see that his eyes were as +anxiously fixed on what was going on as were those of his +wife. At last, however, the three Greens were in the boat, +as also were all the packages. Then I followed them, my +portmanteau having gone down before me, and we pushed off for +Bellaggio. Up to this period most of the attendants around +us had understood a word or two of English, but now it would be +well if we could find some one to whose ears French would not be +unfamiliar. As regarded Mr. Greene and his wife, they, I +found, must give up all conversation, as they knew nothing of any +language but their own. Sophonisba could make herself +understood in French, and was quite at home, as she assured me, +in German. And then the boat was beached on the shore at +Bellaggio, and we all had to go again to work with the object of +getting ourselves lodged at the hotel which overlooks the +water.</p> +<p>I had learned before that the Greenes were quite free from any +trouble in this respect, for their rooms had been taken for them +before they left England. Trusting to this, Mrs. Greene +gave herself no inconsiderable airs the moment her foot was on +the shore, and ordered the people about as though she were the +Lady Paramount of Bellaggio. Italians, however, are used to +this from travellers of a certain description. They never +resent such conduct, but simply put it down in the bill with the +other articles. Mrs. Greene’s words on this occasion +were innocent enough, seeing that they were English; but had I +been that head waiter who came down to the beach with his nice +black shiny hair, and his napkin under his arm, I should have +thought her manner very insolent.</p> +<p>Indeed, as it was, I did think so, and was inclined to be +angry with her. She was to remain for some time at +Bellaggio, and therefore it behoved her, as she thought, to +assume the character of the grand lady at once. Hitherto +she had been willing enough to do the work, but now she began to +order about Mr. Greene and Sophonisba; and, as it appeared to me, +to order me about also. I did not quite enjoy this; so +leaving her still among her luggage and satellites, I walked up +to the hotel to see about my own bed-room. I had some +seltzer water, stood at the window for three or four minutes, and +then walked up and down the room. But still the Greenes +were not there. As I had put in at Bellaggio solely with +the object of seeing something more of Sophonisba, it would not +do for me to quarrel with them, or to allow them so to settle +themselves in their private sitting-room, that I should be +excluded. Therefore I returned again to the road by which +they must come up, and met the procession near the house.</p> +<p>Mrs. Greene was leading it with great majesty, the waiter with +the shiny hair walking by her side to point out to her the +way. Then came all the luggage,—each porter carrying +a white canvas-covered box. That which was so valuable no +doubt was carried next to Mrs. Greene, so that she might at a +moment’s notice put her eye upon the well-known valuable +rent. I confess that I did not observe the hole as the +train passed by me, nor did I count the number of the +boxes. Seven boxes, all alike, are very many; and then they +were followed by three other men with the inferior +articles,—Mr. Greene’s portmanteau, the carpetbag, +&e., &c. At the tail of the line, I found Mr. +Greene, and behind him Sophonisba. “All your fatigues +will be over now,” I said to the gentleman, thinking it +well not to be too particular in my attentions to his +daughter. He was panting beneath a terrible great-coat, +having forgotten that the shores of an Italian lake are not so +cold as the summits of the Alps, and did not answer me. +“I’m sure I hope so,” said Sophonisba. +“And I shall advise papa not to go any farther unless he +can persuade Mrs. Greene to send her jewels home.” +“Sophy, my dear,” he said, “for Heaven’s +sake let us have a little peace since we are here.” +From all which I gathered that Mr. Green had not been fortunate +in his second matrimonial adventure. We then made our way +slowly up to the hotel, having been altogether distanced by the +porters, and when we reached the house we found that the +different packages were already being carried away through the +house, some this way and some that. Mrs. Green, the +meanwhile, was talking loudly at the door of her own +sitting-room.</p> +<p>“Mr. Greene,” she said, as soon as she saw her +heavily oppressed spouse,—for the noonday sun was +up,—“Mr. Greene, where are you?”</p> +<p>“Here, my dear,” and Mr. Greene threw himself +panting into the corner of a sofa.</p> +<p>“A little seltzer water and brandy,” I +suggested. Mr. Greene’s inmost heart leaped at the +hint, and nothing that his remonstrant wife could say would +induce him to move, until he had enjoyed the delicious +draught. In the mean time the box with the hole in the +canvas had been lost.</p> +<p>Yes; when we came to look into matters, to count the packages, +and to find out where we were, the box with the hole in the +canvas was not there. Or, at any rate, Mrs. Greene said it +was not there. I worked hard to look it up, and even went +into Sophonisba’s bed-room in my search. In +Sophonisba’s bed-room there was but one canvas-covered +box. “That is my own,” said she, “and it +is all that I have, except this bag.”</p> +<p>“Where on earth can it be?” said I, sitting down +on the trunk in question. At the moment I almost thought +that she had been instrumental in hiding it.</p> +<p>“How am I to know?” she answered; and I fancied +that even she was dismayed. “What a fool that woman +is!”</p> +<p>“The box must be in the house,” I said.</p> +<p>“Do find it, for papa’s sake; there’s a good +fellow. He will be so wretched without his money. I +heard him say that he had only two pounds in his +purse.”</p> +<p>“Oh, I can let him have money to go on with,” I +answered grandly. And then I went off to prove that I was a +good fellow, and searched throughout the house. Two white +boxes had by order been left downstairs, as they would not be +needed; and these two were in a large cupboard of the hall, which +was used expressly for stowing away luggage. And then there +were three in Mrs. Greene’s bed-room, which had been taken +there as containing the wardrobe which she would require while +remaining at Bellaggio. I searched every one of these +myself to see if I could find the hole in the canvas. But +the hole in the canvas was not there. And let me count as I +would, I could make out only six. Now there certainly had +been seven on board the steamer, though I could not swear that I +had seen the seven put into the small boat.</p> +<p>“Mr. Greene,” said the lady standing in the middle +of her remaining treasures, all of which were now open, +“you are worth nothing when travelling. Were you not +behind?” But Mr. Greene’s mind was full, and he +did not answer.</p> +<p>“It has been stolen before your very eyes,” she +continued.</p> +<p>“Nonsense, mamma,” said Sophonisba. +“If ever it came out of the steamer it certainly came into +the house.”</p> +<p>“I saw it out of the steamer,” said Mrs. Greene, +“and it certainly is not in the house. Mr. Robinson, +may I trouble you to send for the police?—at once, if you +please, sir.”</p> +<p>I had been at Bellaggio twice before, but nevertheless I was +ignorant of their system of police. And then, again, I did +not know what was the Italian for the word.</p> +<p>“I will speak to the landlord,” I said.</p> +<p>“If you will have the goodness to send for the police at +once, I will be obliged to you.” And as she thus +reiterated her command, she stamped with her foot upon the +floor.</p> +<p>“There are no police at Bellaggio,” said +Sophonisba.</p> +<p>“What on earth shall I do for money to go on +with?” said Mr. Greene, looking piteously up to the +ceiling, and shaking both his hands.</p> +<p>And now the whole house was in an uproar, including not only +the landlord, his wife and daughters, and all the servants, but +also every other visitor at the hotel. Mrs. Greene was not +a lady who hid either her glories or her griefs under a bushel, +and, though she spoke only in English, she soon made her +protestations sufficiently audible. She protested loudly +that she had been robbed, and that she had been robbed since she +left the steamer. The box had come on shore; of that she +was quite certain. If the landlord had any regard either +for his own character or for that of his house, he would +ascertain before an hour was over where it was, and who had been +the thief. She would give him an hour. And then she +sat herself down; but in two minutes she was up again, +vociferating her wrongs as loudly as ever. All this was +filtered through me and Sophonisba to the waiter in French, and +from the waiter to the landlord; but the lady’s gestures +required no translation to make them intelligible, and the state +of her mind on the matter was, I believe, perfectly well +understood.</p> +<p>Mr. Greene I really did pity. His feelings of dismay +seemed to be quite as deep, but his sorrow and solicitude were +repressed into more decorum. “What am I to do for +money?” he said. “I have not a shilling to go +on with!” And he still looked up at the ceiling.</p> +<p>“You must send to England,” said Sophonisba.</p> +<p>“It will take a month,” he replied.</p> +<p>“Mr. Robinson will let you have what you want at +present,” added Sophonisba. Now I certainly had said +so, and had meant it at the time. But my whole travelling +store did not exceed forty or fifty pounds, with which I was +going on to Venice, and then back to England through the +Tyrol. Waiting a month for Mr. Greene’s money from +England might be even more inconvenient to me than to him. +Then it occurred to me that the wants of the Greene family would +be numerous and expensive, and that my small stock would go but a +little way among so many. And what also if there had been +no money and no jewels in that accursed box! I confess that +at the moment such an idea did strike my mind. One hears of +sharpers on every side committing depredations by means of most +singular intrigues and contrivances. Might it not be +possible that the whole batch of Greenes belonged to this order +of society. It was a base idea, I own; but I confess that I +entertained it for a moment.</p> +<p>I retired to my own room for a while that I might think over +all the circumstances. There certainly had been seven +boxes, and one had had a hole in the canvas. All the seven +had certainly been on board the steamer. To so much I felt +that I might safely swear. I had not counted the seven into +the small boat, but on leaving the larger vessel I had looked +about the deck to see that none of the Greene trappings were +forgotten. If left on the steamer, it had been so left +through an intent on the part of some one there employed. +It was quite possible that the contents of the box had been +ascertained through the imprudence of Mrs. Greene, and that it +had been conveyed away so that it might be rifled at Como. +As to Mrs. Greene’s assertion that all the boxes had been +put into the small boat, I thought nothing of it. The +people at Bellaggio could not have known which box to steal, nor +had there been time to concoct the plan in carrying the boxes up +to the hotel. I came at last to this conclusion, that the +missing trunk had either been purloined and carried on to +Como,—in which case it would be necessary to lose no time +in going after it; or that it had been put out of sight in some +uncommonly clever way, by the Greenes themselves, as an excuse +for borrowing as much money as they could raise and living +without payment of their bills. With reference to the +latter hypothesis, I declared to myself that Greene did not look +like a swindler; but as to Mrs. Greene—! I confess +that I did not feel so confident in regard to her.</p> +<p>Charity begins at home, so I proceeded to make myself +comfortable in my room, feeling almost certain that I should not +be able to leave Bellaggio on the following morning. I had +opened my portmanteau when I first arrived, leaving it open on +the floor as is my wont. Some people are always being +robbed, and are always locking up everything; while others wander +safe over the world and never lock up anything. For myself, +I never turn a key anywhere, and no one ever purloins from me +even a handkerchief. Cantabit vacuus—, and I am +always sufficiently vacuus. Perhaps it is that I have not a +handkerchief worth the stealing. It is your heavy-laden, +suspicious, mal-adroit Greenes that the thieves attack. I +now found out that the accommodating Boots, who already knew my +ways, had taken my travelling gear into a dark recess which was +intended to do for a dressing-room, and had there spread my +portmanteau open upon some table or stool in the corner. It +was a convenient arrangement, and there I left it during the +whole period of my sojourn.</p> +<p>Mrs. Greene had given the landlord an hour to find the box, +and during that time the landlord, the landlady, their three +daughters, and all the servants in the house certainly did exert +themselves to the utmost. Half a dozen times they came to +my door, but I was luxuriating in a washing-tub, making up for +that four-o’clock start from Chiavenna. I assured +them, however, that the box was not there, and so the search +passed by. At the end of the hour I went back to the +Greenes according to promise, having resolved that some one must +be sent on to Como to look after the missing article.</p> +<p>There was no necessity to knock at their sitting-room door, +for it was wide open. I walked in, and found Mrs. Greene +still engaged in attacking the landlord, while all the porters +who had carried the luggage up to the house were standing +round. Her voice was loud above the others, but, luckily +for them all, she was speaking English. The landlord, I +saw, was becoming sulky. He spoke in Italian, and we none +of us understood him, but I gathered that he was declining to do +anything further. The box, he was certain, had never come +out of the steamer. The Boots stood by interpreting into +French, and, acting as second interpreter, I put it into +English.</p> +<p>Mr. Greene, who was seated on the sofa, groaned audibly, but +said nothing. Sophonisba, who was sitting by him, beat upon +the floor with both her feet.</p> +<p>“Do you hear, Mr. Greene?” said she, turning to +him. “Do you mean to allow that vast amount of +property to be lost without an effort? Are you prepared to +replace my jewels?”</p> +<p>“Her jewels!” said Sophonisba, looking up into my +face. “Papa had to pay the bill for every stitch she +had when he married her.” These last words were so +spoken as to be audible only by me, but her first exclamation was +loud enough. Were they people for whom it would be worth my +while to delay my journey, and put myself to serious +inconvenience with reference to money?</p> +<p>A few minutes afterwards I found myself with Greene on the +terrace before the house. “What ought I to do?” +said he.</p> +<p>“Go to Como,” said I, “and look after your +box. I will remain here and go on board the return +steamer. It may perhaps be there.”</p> +<p>“But I can’t speak a word of Italian,” said +he.</p> +<p>“Take the Boots,” said I.</p> +<p>“But I can’t speak a word of French.” +And then it ended in my undertaking to go to Como. I swear +that the thought struck me that I might as well take my +portmanteau with me, and cut and run when I got there. The +Greenes were nothing to me.</p> +<p>I did not, however, do this. I made the poor man a +promise, and I kept it. I took merely a dressing-bag, for I +knew that I must sleep at Como; and, thus resolving to disarrange +all my plans, I started. I was in the midst of beautiful +scenery, but I found it quite impossible to draw any enjoyment +from it;—from that or from anything around me. My +whole mind was given up to anathemas against this odious box, as +to which I had undoubtedly heavy cause of complaint. What +was the box to me? I went to Como by the afternoon steamer, +and spent a long dreary evening down on the steamboat quays +searching everywhere, and searching in vain. The boat by +which we had left Colico had gone back to Colico, but the people +swore that nothing had been left on board it. It was just +possible that such a box might have gone on to Milan with the +luggage of other passengers.</p> +<p>I slept at Como, and on the following morning I went on to +Milan. There was no trace of the box to be found in that +city. I went round to every hotel and travelling office, +but could hear nothing of it. Parties had gone to Venice, +and Florence, and Bologna, and any of them might have taken the +box. No one, however, remembered it; and I returned back to +Como, and thence to Bellaggio, reaching the latter place at nine +in the evening, disappointed, weary, and cross.</p> +<p>“Has Monsieur found the accursed trunk?” said the +Bellaggio Boots, meeting me on the quay.</p> +<p>“In the name of the—, no. Has it not turned +up here?”</p> +<p>“Monsieur,” said the Boots, “we shall all be +mad soon. The poor master, he is mad already.” +And then I went up to the house.</p> +<p>“My jewels!” shouted Mrs. Greene, rushing to me +with her arms stretched out as soon as she heard my step in the +corridor. I am sure that she would have embraced me had I +found the box. I had not, however, earned any such +reward. “I can hear nothing of the box either at Como +or Milan,” I said.</p> +<p>“Then what on earth am I to do for my money?” said +Mr. Greene.</p> +<p>I had had neither dinner nor supper, but the elder Greenes did +not care for that. Mr. Greene sat silent in despair, and +Mrs. Greene stormed about the room in her anger. “I +am afraid you are very tired,” said Sophonisba.</p> +<p>“I am tired, and hungry, and thirsty,” said +I. I was beginning to get angry, and to think myself ill +used. And that idea as to a family of swindlers became +strong again. Greene had borrowed ten napoleons from me +before I started for Como, and I had spent above four in my +fruitless journey to that place and Milan. I was beginning +to fear that my whole purpose as to Venice and the Tyrol would be +destroyed; and I had promised to meet friends at Innspruck, +who,—who were very much preferable to the Greenes. As +events turned out, I did meet them. Had I failed in this, +the present Mrs. Robinson would not have been sitting opposite to +me.</p> +<p>I went to my room and dressed myself, and then Sophonisba +presided over the tea-table for me. “What are we to +do?” she asked me in a confidential whisper.</p> +<p>“Wait for money from England.”</p> +<p>“But they will think we are all sharpers,” she +said; “and upon my word I do not wonder at it from the way +in which that woman goes on.” She then leaned +forward, resting her elbow on the table and her face on her hand, +and told me a long history of all their family discomforts. +Her papa was a very good sort of man, only he had been made a +fool of by that intriguing woman, who had been left without a +sixpence with which to bless herself. And now they had +nothing but quarrels and misery. Papa did not always got +the worst of it;—papa could rouse himself sometimes; only +now he was beaten down and cowed by the loss of his money. +This whispering confidence was very nice in its way, seeing that +Sophonisba was a pretty girl; but the whole matter seemed to be +full of suspicion.</p> +<p>“If they did not want to take you in in one way, they +did in another,” said the present Mrs. Robinson, when I +told the story to her at Innspruck. I beg that it may be +understood that at the time of my meeting the Greenes I was not +engaged to the present Mrs. Robinson, and was open to make any +matrimonial engagement that might have been pleasing to me.</p> +<p>On the next morning, after breakfast, we held a council of +war. I had been informed that Mr. Greene had made a +fortune, and was justified in presuming him to be a rich +man. It seemed to me, therefore, that his course was +easy. Let him wait at Bellaggio for more money, and when he +returned home, let him buy Mrs. Greene more jewels. A poor +man always presumes that a rich man is indifferent about his +money. But in truth a rich man never is indifferent about +his money, and poor Greene looked very blank at my +proposition.</p> +<p>“Do you mean to say that it’s gone for +ever?” he asked.</p> +<p>“I’ll not leave the country without knowing more +about it,” said Mrs. Greene.</p> +<p>“It certainly is very odd,” said Sophonisba. +Even Sophonisba seemed to think that I was too off-hand.</p> +<p>“It will be a month before I can get money, and my bill +here will be something tremendous,” said Greene.</p> +<p>“I wouldn’t pay them a farthing till I got my +box,” said Mrs. Greene.</p> +<p>“That’s nonsense,” said Sophonisba. +And so it was. “Hold your tongue, Miss!” said +the step-mother.</p> +<p>“Indeed, I shall not hold my tongue,” said the +step-daughter. Poor Greene! He had lost more than his +box within the last twelve months; for, as I had learned in that +whispered conversation over the tea-table with Sophonisba; this +was in reality her papa’s marriage trip.</p> +<p>Another day was now gone, and we all went to bed. Had I +not been very foolish I should have had myself called at five in +the morning, and have gone away by the early boat, leaving my ten +napoleons behind me. But, unfortunately, Sophonisba had +exacted a promise from me that I would not do this, and thus all +chance of spending a day or two in Venice was lost to me. +Moreover, I was thoroughly fatigued, and almost glad of any +excuse which would allow me to lie in bed on the following +morning. I did lie in bed till nine o’clock, and then +found the Greenes at breakfast.</p> +<p>“Let us go and look at the Serbelloni Gardens,” +said I, as soon as the silent meal was over; “or take a +boat over to the Sommariva Villa.”</p> +<p>“I should like it so much,” said Sophonisba.</p> +<p>“We will do nothing of the kind till I have found my +property,” said Mrs. Greene. “Mr. Robinson, +what arrangement did you make yesterday with the police at +Como?”</p> +<p>“The police at Como?” I said. “I did +not go to the police.”</p> +<p>“Not go to the police? And do you mean to say that +I am to be robbed of my jewels and no efforts made for +redress? Is there no such thing as a constable in this +wretched country? Mr. Greene, I do insist upon it that you +at once go to the nearest British consul.”</p> +<p>“I suppose I had better write home for money,” +said he.</p> +<p>“And do you mean to say that you haven’t written +yet?” said I, probably with some acrimony in my voice.</p> +<p>“You needn’t scold papa,” said +Sophonisba.</p> +<p>“I don’t know what I am to do,” said Mr. +Greene, and he began walking up and down the room; but still he +did not call for pen and ink, and I began again to feel that he +was a swindler. Was it possible that a man of business, who +had made his fortune in London, should allow his wife to keep all +her jewels in a box, and carry about his own money in the +same?</p> +<p>“I don’t see why you need be so very unhappy, +papa,” said Sophonisba. “Mr. Robinson, +I’m sure, will let you have whatever money you may want at +present.” This was pleasant!</p> +<p>“And will Mr. Robinson return me my jewels which were +lost, I must say, in a great measure, through his +carelessness,” said Mrs. Greene. This was +pleasanter!</p> +<p>“Upon my word, Mrs. Greene, I must deny that,” +said I, jumping up. “What on earth could I have done +more than I did do? I have been to Milan and nearly fagged +myself to death.”</p> +<p>“Why didn’t you bring a policeman back with +you?”</p> +<p>“You would tell everybody on board the boat what there +was in it,” said I.</p> +<p>“I told nobody but you,” she answered.</p> +<p>“I suppose you mean to imply that I’ve taken the +box,” I rejoined. So that on this, the third or +fourth day of our acquaintance, we did not go on together quite +pleasantly.</p> +<p>But what annoyed me, perhaps, the most, was the confidence +with which it seemed to be Mr. Greene’s intention to lean +upon my resources. He certainly had not written home yet, +and had taken my ten napoleons, as one friend may take a few +shillings from another when he finds that he has left his own +silver on his dressing-table. What could he have wanted of +ten napoleons? He had alleged the necessity of paying the +porters, but the few francs he had had in his pocket would have +been enough for that. And now Sophonisba was ever and again +prompt in her assurances that he need not annoy himself about +money, because I was at his right hand. I went upstairs +into my own room, and counting all my treasures, found that +thirty-six pounds and some odd silver was the extent of my +wealth. With that I had to go, at any rate, as far as +Innspruck, and from thence back to London. It was quite +impossible that I should make myself responsible for the +Greenes’ bill at Bellaggio.</p> +<p>We dined early, and after dinner, according to a promise made +in the morning, Sophonisba ascended with me into the Serbelloni +Gardens, and walked round the terraces on that beautiful hill +which commands the view of the three lakes. When we started +I confess that I would sooner have gone alone, for I was sick of +the Greenes in my very soul. We had had a terrible +day. The landlord had been sent for so often, that he +refused to show himself again. The landlady—though +Italians of that class are always courteous—had been so +driven that she snapped her fingers in Mrs. Greene’s +face. The three girls would not show themselves. The +waiters kept out of the way as much as possible; and the Boots, +in confidence, abused them to me behind their back. +“Monsieur,” said the Boots, “do you think there +ever was such a box?”</p> +<p>“Perhaps not,” said I; and yet I knew that I had +seen it.</p> +<p>I would, therefore, have preferred to walk without Sophonisba; +but that now was impossible. So I determined that I would +utilise the occasion by telling her of my present purpose. +I had resolved to start on the following day, and it was now +necessary to make my friends understand that it was not in my +power to extend to them any further pecuniary assistance.</p> +<p>Sophonisba, when we were on the hill, seemed to have forgotten +the box, and to be willing that I should forget it also. +But this was impossible. When, therefore, she told me how +sweet it was to escape from that terrible woman, and leaned on my +arm with all the freedom of old acquaintance, I was obliged to +cut short the pleasure of the moment.</p> +<p>“I hope your father has written that letter,” said +I.</p> +<p>“He means to write it from Milan. We know you want +to get on, so we purpose to leave here the day after +to-morrow.”</p> +<p>“Oh!” said I thinking of the bill immediately, and +remembering that Mrs. Greene had insisted on having champagne for +dinner.</p> +<p>“And if anything more is to be done about the nasty box, +it may be done there,” continued Sophonisba.</p> +<p>“But I must go to-morrow,” said I, “at 5 +a.m.”</p> +<p>“Nonsense,” said Sophonisba. “Go +to-morrow, when I,—I mean we,—are going on the next +day!”</p> +<p>“And I might as well explain,” said I, gently +dropping the hand that was on my arm, “that I find,—I +find it will be impossible for +me—to—to—”</p> +<p>“To what?”</p> +<p>“To advance Mr. Greene any more money just at +present.” Then Sophonisba’s arm dropped all at +once, and she exclaimed, “Oh, Mr. Robinson!”</p> +<p>After all, there was a certain hard good sense about Miss +Greene which would have protected her from my evil thoughts had I +known all the truth. I found out afterwards that she was a +considerable heiress, and, in spite of the opinion expressed by +the present Mrs. Robinson when Miss Walker, I do not for a moment +think she would have accepted me had I offered to her.</p> +<p>“You are quite right not to embarrass yourself,” +she said, when I explained to her my immediate circumstances; +“but why did you make papa an offer which you cannot +perform? He must remain here now till he hears from +England. Had you explained it all at first, the ten +napoleons would have carried us to Milan.” This was +all true, and yet I thought it hard upon me.</p> +<p>It was evident to me now, that Sophonisba was prepared to join +her step-mother in thinking that I had ill-treated them, and I +had not much doubt that I should find Mr. Greene to be of the +same opinion. There was very little more said between us +during the walk, and when we reached the hotel at seven or +half-past seven o’clock, I merely remarked that I would go +in and wish her father and mother good-bye. “I +suppose you will drink tea with us,” said Sophonisba, and +to this I assented.</p> +<p>I went into my own room, and put all my things into my +portmanteau, for according to the custom, which is invariable in +Italy when an early start is premeditated, the Boots was +imperative in his demand that the luggage should be ready over +night. I then went to the Greene’s sitting-room, and +found that the whole party was now aware of my intentions.</p> +<p>“So you are going to desert us,” said Mrs. +Greene.</p> +<p>“I must go on upon my journey,” I pleaded in a +weak apologetic voice.</p> +<p>“Go on upon your journey, sir!” said Mrs. +Greene. “I would not for a moment have you put +yourself to inconvenience on our account.” And yet I +had already lost fourteen napoleons, and given up all prospect of +going to Venice!</p> +<p>“Mr. Robinson is certainly right not to break his +engagement with Miss Walker,” said Sophonisba. Now I +had said not a word about an engagement with Miss Walker, having +only mentioned incidentally that she would be one of the party at +Innspruck. “But,” continued she, “I think +he should not have misled us.” And in this way we +enjoyed our evening meal.</p> +<p>I was just about to shake hands with them all, previous to my +final departure from their presence, when the Boots came into the +room.</p> +<p>“I’ll leave the portmanteau till to-morrow +morning,” said he.</p> +<p>“All right,” said I.</p> +<p>“Because,” said he, “there will be such a +crowd of things in the hall. The big trunk I will take away +now.”</p> +<p>“Big trunk,—what big trunk?”</p> +<p>“The trunk with your rug over it, on which your +portmanteau stood.”</p> +<p>I looked round at Mr., Mrs., and Miss Greene, and saw that +they were all looking at me. I looked round at them, and as +their eyes met mine I felt that I turned as red as fire. I +immediately jumped up and rushed away to my own room, hearing as +I went that all their steps were following me. I rushed to +the inner recess, pulled down the portmanteau, which still +remained in its old place, tore away my own carpet rug which +covered the support beneath it, and there saw—a white +canvas-covered box, with a hole in the canvas on the side next to +me!</p> +<p>“It is my box,” said Mrs. Greene, pushing me away, +as she hurried up and put her finger within the rent.</p> +<p>“It certainly does look like it,” said Mr. Greene, +peering over his wife’s shoulder.</p> +<p>“There’s no doubt about the box,” said +Sophonisba.</p> +<p>“Not the least in life,” said I, trying to assume +an indifferent look.</p> +<p>“Mon Dieu!” said the Boots.</p> +<p>“Corpo di Baccho!” exclaimed the landlord, who had +now joined the party.</p> +<p>“Oh—h—h—h—!” screamed Mrs. +Greene, and then she threw herself back on to my bed, and +shrieked hysterically.</p> +<p>There was no doubt whatsoever about the fact. There was +the lost box, and there it had been during all those tedious +hours of unavailing search. While I was suffering all that +fatigue in Milan, spending my precious zwanzigers in driving +about from one hotel to another, the box had been safe, standing +in my own room at Bellaggio, hidden by my own rug. And now +that it was found everybody looked at me as though it were all my +fault.</p> +<p>Mrs. Greene’s eyes, when she had done being hysterical, +were terrible, and Sophonisba looked at me as though I were a +convicted thief.</p> +<p>“Who put the box here?” I said, turning fiercely +upon the Boots.</p> +<p>“I did,” said the Boots, “by +Monsieur’s express order.”</p> +<p>“By my order?” I exclaimed.</p> +<p>“Certainly,” said the Boots.</p> +<p>“Corpo di Baccho!” said the landlord, and he also +looked at me as though I were a thief. In the mean time the +landlady and the three daughters had clustered round Mrs. Greene, +administering to her all manner of Italian consolation. The +box, and the money, and the jewels were after all a reality; and +much incivility can be forgiven to a lady who has really lost her +jewels, and has really found them again.</p> +<p>There and then there arose a hurly-burly among us as to the +manner in which the odious trunk found its way into my +room. Had anybody been just enough to consider the matter +coolly, it must have been quite clear that I could not have +ordered it there. When I entered the hotel, the boxes were +already being lugged about, and I had spoken a word to no one +concerning them. That traitorous Boots had done +it,—no doubt without malice prepense; but he had done it; +and now that the Greenes were once more known as moneyed people, +he turned upon me, and told me to my face, that I had desired +that box to be taken to my own room as part of my own +luggage!</p> +<p>“My dear,” said Mr. Greene, turning to his wife, +“you should never mention the contents of your luggage to +any one.”</p> +<p>“I never will again,” said Mrs. Greene, with a +mock repentant air, “but I really thought—”</p> +<p>“One never can be sure of sharpers,” said Mr. +Greene.</p> +<p>“That’s true,” said Mrs. Greene.</p> +<p>“After all, it may have been accidental,” said +Sophonisba, on hearing which good-natured surmise both papa and +mamma Greene shook their suspicious heads.</p> +<p>I was resolved to say nothing then. It was all but +impossible that they should really think that I had intended to +steal their box; nor, if they did think so, would it have become +me to vindicate myself before the landlord and all his +servants. I stood by therefore in silence, while two of the +men raised the trunk, and joined the procession which followed it +as it was carried out of my room into that of the legitimate +owner. Everybody in the house was there by that time, and +Mrs. Greene, enjoying the triumph, by no means grudged them the +entrance into her sitting-room. She had felt that she was +suspected, and now she was determined that the world of Bellaggio +should know how much she was above suspicion. The box was +put down upon two chairs, the supporters who had borne it +retiring a pace each. Mrs. Greene then advanced proudly +with the selected key, and Mr. Greene stood by at her right +shoulder, ready to receive his portion of the hidden +treasure. Sophonisba was now indifferent, and threw herself +on the sofa, while I walked up and down the room +thoughtfully,—meditating what words I should say when I +took my last farewell of the Greenes. But as I walked I +could see what occurred. Mrs. Greene opened the box, and +displayed to view the ample folds of a huge yellow woollen +dressing-down. I could fancy that she would not willingly +have exhibited this article of her toilet, had she not felt that +its existence would speedily be merged in the presence of the +glories which were to follow. This had merely been the +padding at the top of the box. Under that lay a long +papier-maché case, and in that were all her +treasures. “Ah, they are safe,” she said, +opening the lid and looking upon her tawdry pearls and +carbuncles.</p> +<p>Mr. Greene, in the mean time, well knowing the passage for his +hand, had dived down to the very bottom of the box, and seized +hold of a small canvas bag. “It is here,” said +he, dragging it up, “and as far as I can tell, as yet, the +knot has not been untied.” Whereupon he sat himself +down by Sophonisba, and employing her to assist him in holding +them, began to count his rolls. “They are all +right,” said he; and he wiped the perspiration from his +brow.</p> +<p>I had not yet made up my mind in what manner I might best +utter my last words among them so as to maintain the dignity of +my character, and now I was standing over against Mr. Greene with +my arms folded on my breast. I had on my face a frown of +displeasure, which I am able to assume upon occasions, but I had +not yet determined what words I would use. After all, +perhaps, it might be as well that I should leave them without any +last words.</p> +<p>“Greene, my dear,” said the lady, “pay the +gentleman his ten napoleons.”</p> +<p>“Oh yes, certainly;” whereupon Mr. Greene undid +one of the rolls and extracted eight sovereigns. “I +believe that will make it right, sir,” said he, handing +them to me.</p> +<p>I took the gold, slipped it with an indifferent air into my +waistcoat pocket, and then refolded my arms across my breast.</p> +<p>“Papa,” said Sophonisba, in a very audible +whisper, “Mr. Robinson went for you to Como. Indeed, +I believe he says he went to Milan.”</p> +<p>“Do not let that be mentioned,” said I.</p> +<p>“By all means pay him his expenses,” said Mrs. +Greene; “I would not owe him anything for +worlds.”</p> +<p>“He should be paid,” said Sophonisba.</p> +<p>“Oh, certainly,” said Mr. Greene. And he at +once extracted another sovereign, and tendered it to me in the +face of the assembled multitude.</p> +<p>This was too much! “Mr. Greene,” said I, +“I intended to be of service to you when I went to Milan, +and you are very welcome to the benefit of my intentions. +The expense of that journey, whatever may be its amount, is my +own affair.” And I remained standing with my closed +arms.</p> +<p>“We will be under no obligation to him,” said Mrs. +Greene; “and I shall insist on his taking the +money.”</p> +<p>“The servant will put it on his dressing-table,” +said Sophonisba. And she handed the sovereign to the Boots, +giving him instructions.</p> +<p>“Keep it yourself, Antonio,” I said. +Whereupon the man chucked it to the ceiling with his thumb, +caught it as it fell, and with a well-satisfied air, dropped it +into the recesses of his pocket. The air of the Greenes was +also well satisfied, for they felt that they had paid me in full +for all my services.</p> +<p>And now, with many obsequious bows and assurances of deep +respect, the landlord and his family withdrew from the +room. “Was there anything else they could do for Mrs. +Greene?” Mrs. Greene was all affability. She +had shown her jewels to the girls, and allowed them to express +their admiration in pretty Italian superlatives. There was +nothing else she wanted to-night. She was very happy and +liked Bellaggio. She would stay yet a week, and would make +herself quite happy. And, though none of them understood a +word that the other said, each understood that things were now +rose-coloured, and so with scrapings, bows, and grinning smiles, +the landlord and all his myrmidons withdrew. Mr. Greene was +still counting his money, sovereign by sovereign, and I was still +standing with my folded arms upon my bosom.</p> +<p>“I believe I may now go,” said I.</p> +<p>“Good night,” said Mrs. Greene.</p> +<p>“Adieu,” said Sophonisba.</p> +<p>“I have the pleasure of wishing you good-bye,” +said Mr. Greene.</p> +<p>And then I walked out of the room. After all, what was +the use of saying anything? And what could I say that would +have done me any service? If they were capable of thinking +me a thief,—which they certainly did,—nothing that I +could say would remove the impression. Nor, as I thought, +was it suitable that I should defend myself from such an +imputation. What were the Greenes to me? So I walked +slowly out of the room, and never again saw one of the family +from that day to this.</p> +<p>As I stood upon the beach the next morning, while my +portmanteau was being handed into the boat, I gave the Boots five +zwanzigers. I was determined to show him that I did not +condescend to feel anger against him.</p> +<p>He took the money, looked into my face, and then whispered to +me, “Why did you not give me a word of notice +beforehand?” he said, and winked his eye. He was +evidently a thief, and took me to be another;—but what did +it matter?</p> +<p>I went thence to Milan, in which city I had no heart to look +at anything; thence to Verona, and so over the pass of the +Brenner to Innspruck. When I once found myself near to my +dear friends the Walkers I was again a happy man; and I may +safely declare that, though a portion of my journey was so +troublesome and unfortunate, I look back upon that tour as the +happiest and the luckiest epoch of my life.</p> +<p>***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE MAN WHO KEPT HIS MONEY IN A +BOX***</p> +<pre> + + +***** This file should be named 3767-h.htm or 3767-h.zip****** + + +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: +http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/3/7/6/3767 + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will +be renamed. + +Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright +law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, +so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United +States without permission and without paying copyright +royalties. Special rules, set forth in the General Terms of Use part +of this license, apply to copying and distributing Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works to protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm +concept and trademark. Project Gutenberg is a registered trademark, +and may not be used if you charge for the eBooks, unless you receive +specific permission. If you do not charge anything for copies of this +eBook, complying with the rules is very easy. You may use this eBook +for nearly any purpose such as creation of derivative works, reports, +performances and research. They may be modified and printed and given +away--you may do practically ANYTHING in the United States with eBooks +not protected by U.S. copyright law. Redistribution is subject to the +trademark license, especially commercial redistribution. + +START: FULL LICENSE + +THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE +PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK + +To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free +distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work +(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project +Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full +Project Gutenberg-tm License available with this file or online at +www.gutenberg.org/license. + +Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works + +1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to +and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property +(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all +the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or +destroy all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your +possession. If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a +Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound +by the terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the +person or entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph +1.E.8. + +1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be +used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who +agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few +things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works +even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See +paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this +agreement and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic works. See paragraph 1.E below. + +1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the +Foundation" or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection +of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual +works in the collection are in the public domain in the United +States. If an individual work is unprotected by copyright law in the +United States and you are located in the United States, we do not +claim a right to prevent you from copying, distributing, performing, +displaying or creating derivative works based on the work as long as +all references to Project Gutenberg are removed. Of course, we hope +that you will support the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting +free access to electronic works by freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm +works in compliance with the terms of this agreement for keeping the +Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with the work. You can easily +comply with the terms of this agreement by keeping this work in the +same format with its attached full Project Gutenberg-tm License when +you share it without charge with others. + +1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern +what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are +in a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, +check the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this +agreement before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, +distributing or creating derivative works based on this work or any +other Project Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no +representations concerning the copyright status of any work in any +country outside the United States. + +1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: + +1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other +immediate access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear +prominently whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work +on which the phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the +phrase "Project Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, +performed, viewed, copied or distributed: + + This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and + most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no + restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it + under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this + eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the + United States, you'll have to check the laws of the country where you + are located before using this ebook. + +1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is +derived from texts not protected by U.S. copyright law (does not +contain a notice indicating that it is posted with permission of the +copyright holder), the work can be copied and distributed to anyone in +the United States without paying any fees or charges. If you are +redistributing or providing access to a work with the phrase "Project +Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the work, you must comply +either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 or +obtain permission for the use of the work and the Project Gutenberg-tm +trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. + +1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted +with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution +must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any +additional terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms +will be linked to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works +posted with the permission of the copyright holder found at the +beginning of this work. + +1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this +work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. + +1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this +electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without +prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with +active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project +Gutenberg-tm License. + +1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, +compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including +any word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access +to or distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format +other than "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official +version posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site +(www.gutenberg.org), you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense +to the user, provide a copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means +of obtaining a copy upon request, of the work in its original "Plain +Vanilla ASCII" or other form. Any alternate format must include the +full Project Gutenberg-tm License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. + +1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, +performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works +unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. + +1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing +access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works +provided that + +* You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from + the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method + you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is owed + to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he has + agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the Project + Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments must be paid + within 60 days following each date on which you prepare (or are + legally required to prepare) your periodic tax returns. Royalty + payments should be clearly marked as such and sent to the Project + Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the address specified in + Section 4, "Information about donations to the Project Gutenberg + Literary Archive Foundation." + +* You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies + you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he + does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm + License. You must require such a user to return or destroy all + copies of the works possessed in a physical medium and discontinue + all use of and all access to other copies of Project Gutenberg-tm + works. + +* You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of + any money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the + electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days of + receipt of the work. + +* You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free + distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work or group of works on different terms than +are set forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing +from both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and The +Project Gutenberg Trademark LLC, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm +trademark. Contact the Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. + +1.F. + +1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable +effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread +works not protected by U.S. copyright law in creating the Project +Gutenberg-tm collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may +contain "Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate +or corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other +intellectual property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or +other medium, a computer virus, or computer codes that damage or +cannot be read by your equipment. + +1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right +of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project +Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all +liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal +fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT +LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE +PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH 1.F.3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE +TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE +LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR +INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH +DAMAGE. + +1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a +defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can +receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a +written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you +received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium +with your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you +with the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in +lieu of a refund. If you received the work electronically, the person +or entity providing it to you may choose to give you a second +opportunity to receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If +the second copy is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing +without further opportunities to fix the problem. + +1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth +in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS', WITH NO +OTHER WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT +LIMITED TO WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. + +1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied +warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of +damages. If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement +violates the law of the state applicable to this agreement, the +agreement shall be interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or +limitation permitted by the applicable state law. The invalidity or +unenforceability of any provision of this agreement shall not void the +remaining provisions. + +1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the +trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone +providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in +accordance with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the +production, promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic works, harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, +including legal fees, that arise directly or indirectly from any of +the following which you do or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this +or any Project Gutenberg-tm work, (b) alteration, modification, or +additions or deletions to any Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any +Defect you cause. + +Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm + +Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of +electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of +computers including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It +exists because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations +from people in all walks of life. + +Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the +assistance they need are critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's +goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will +remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure +and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future +generations. To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary +Archive Foundation and how your efforts and donations can help, see +Sections 3 and 4 and the Foundation information page at +www.gutenberg.org + +Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary +Archive Foundation + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit +501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the +state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal +Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification +number is 64-6221541. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg Literary +Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent permitted by +U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. + +The Foundation's principal office is in Fairbanks, Alaska, with the +mailing address: PO Box 750175, Fairbanks, AK 99775, but its +volunteers and employees are scattered throughout numerous +locations. Its business office is located at 809 North 1500 West, Salt +Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887. Email contact links and up to +date contact information can be found at the Foundation's web site and +official page at www.gutenberg.org/contact + +For additional contact information: + + Dr. Gregory B. Newby + Chief Executive and Director + gbnewby@pglaf.org + +Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation + +Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide +spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of +increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be +freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest +array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations +($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt +status with the IRS. + +The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating +charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United +States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a +considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up +with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations +where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To SEND +DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any particular +state visit www.gutenberg.org/donate + +While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we +have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition +against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who +approach us with offers to donate. + +International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make +any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from +outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. + +Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation +methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other +ways including checks, online payments and credit card donations. To +donate, please visit: www.gutenberg.org/donate + +Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works. + +Professor Michael S. Hart was the originator of the Project +Gutenberg-tm concept of a library of electronic works that could be +freely shared with anyone. For forty years, he produced and +distributed Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of +volunteer support. + +Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as not protected by copyright in +the U.S. unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not +necessarily keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper +edition. + +Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search +facility: www.gutenberg.org + +This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, +including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary +Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to +subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. + +</pre></body> +</html> |