diff options
Diffstat (limited to 'old')
| -rw-r--r-- | old/mnkmb10.txt | 1642 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/mnkmb10.zip | bin | 0 -> 31152 bytes |
2 files changed, 1642 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/old/mnkmb10.txt b/old/mnkmb10.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..d008542 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/mnkmb10.txt @@ -0,0 +1,1642 @@ +Project Gutenberg's The Man Who Kept His Money In A Box, by Trollope +#29 in our series by Anthony Trollope + +Copyright laws are changing all over the world, be sure to check +the laws for your country before redistributing these files!!! + +Please take a look at the important information in this header. +We encourage you to keep this file on your own disk, keeping an +electronic path open for the next readers. + +Please do not remove this. + +This should be the first thing seen when anyone opens the book. +Do not change or edit it without written permission. The words +are carefully chosen to provide users with the information they +need about what they can legally do with the texts. + + +**Welcome To The World of Free Plain Vanilla Electronic Texts** + +**Etexts Readable By Both Humans and By Computers, Since 1971** + +*****These Etexts Are Prepared By Thousands of Volunteers!***** + +Information on contacting Project Gutenberg to get Etexts, and +further information is included below, including for donations. + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a 501(c)(3) +organization with EIN [Employee Identification Number] 64-6221541 + + + +Title: The Man Who Kept His Money In A Box + +Author: Anthony Trollope + +Release Date: February, 2003 [Etext #3767] +[Yes, we are about one year ahead of schedule] +[The actual date this file first posted = 08/28/01] + +Edition: 10 + +Language: English + +Project Gutenberg's The Man Who Kept His Money In A Box, by Trollope +********This file should be named mnkmb10.txt or mnkmb10.zip******** + +Corrected EDITIONS of our etexts get a new NUMBER, mnkmb11.txt +VERSIONS based on separate sources get new LETTER, mnkmb10a.txt + +This etext was produced by David Price, email ccx074@coventry.ac.uk, +from the 1864 "Tales of all Countries" Chapman and Hall edition. + + +Project Gutenberg Etexts are usually created from multiple editions, +all of which are in the Public Domain in the United States, unless a +copyright notice is included. Therefore, we usually do NOT keep any +of these books in compliance with any particular paper edition. + +We are now trying to release all our books one year in advance +of the official release dates, leaving time for better editing. +Please be encouraged to send us error messages even years after +the official publication date. + +Please note neither this listing nor its contents are final til +midnight of the last day of the month of any such announcement. +The official release date of all Project Gutenberg Etexts is at +Midnight, Central Time, of the last day of the stated month. A +preliminary version may often be posted for suggestion, comment +and editing by those who wish to do so. + +Most people start at our sites at: +http://gutenberg.net +http://promo.net/pg + + +Those of you who want to download any Etext before announcement +can surf to them as follows, and just download by date; this is +also a good way to get them instantly upon announcement, as the +indexes our cataloguers produce obviously take a while after an +announcement goes out in the Project Gutenberg Newsletter. + +http://www.ibiblio.org/gutenberg/etext03 +or +ftp://ftp.ibiblio.org/pub/docs/books/gutenberg/etext03 + +Or /etext02, 01, 00, 99, 98, 97, 96, 95, 94, 93, 92, 92, 91 or 90 + +Just search by the first five letters of the filename you want, +as it appears in our Newsletters. + + +Information about Project Gutenberg (one page) + +We produce about two million dollars for each hour we work. The +time it takes us, a rather conservative estimate, is fifty hours +to get any etext selected, entered, proofread, edited, copyright +searched and analyzed, the copyright letters written, etc. This +projected audience is one hundred million readers. If our value +per text is nominally estimated at one dollar then we produce $2 +million dollars per hour this year as we release fifty new Etext +files per month, or 500 more Etexts in 2000 for a total of 3000+ +If they reach just 1-2% of the world's population then the total +should reach over 300 billion Etexts given away by year's end. + +The Goal of Project Gutenberg is to Give Away One Trillion Etext +Files by December 31, 2001. [10,000 x 100,000,000 = 1 Trillion] +This is ten thousand titles each to one hundred million readers, +which is only about 4% of the present number of computer users. + +At our revised rates of production, we will reach only one-third +of that goal by the end of 2001, or about 4,000 Etexts unless we +manage to get some real funding. + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation has been created +to secure a future for Project Gutenberg into the next millennium. + +We need your donations more than ever! + +As of July 12, 2001 contributions are only being solicited from people in: +Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, +Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, +Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, North +Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, +Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, +Wisconsin, and Wyoming. + +We have filed in about 45 states now, but these are the only ones +that have responded. + +As the requirements for other states are met, +additions to this list will be made and fund raising +will begin in the additional states. Please feel +free to ask to check the status of your state. + +In answer to various questions we have received on this: + +We are constantly working on finishing the paperwork +to legally request donations in all 50 states. If +your state is not listed and you would like to know +if we have added it since the list you have, just ask. + +While we cannot solicit donations from people in +states where we are not yet registered, we know +of no prohibition against accepting donations +from donors in these states who approach us with +an offer to donate. + + +International donations are accepted, +but we don't know ANYTHING about how +to make them tax-deductible, or +even if they CAN be made deductible, +and don't have the staff to handle it +even if there are ways. + +All donations should be made to: + +Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation +PMB 113 +1739 University Ave. +Oxford, MS 38655-4109 + + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a 501(c)(3) +organization with EIN [Employee Identification Number] 64-6221541, +and has been approved as a 501(c)(3) organization by the US Internal +Revenue Service (IRS). Donations are tax-deductible to the maximum +extent permitted by law. As the requirements for other states are met, +additions to this list will be made and fund raising will begin in the +additional states. + +We need your donations more than ever! + +You can get up to date donation information at: + +http://www.gutenberg.net/donation.html + + +*** + +If you can't reach Project Gutenberg, +you can always email directly to: + +Michael S. Hart <hart@pobox.com> + +hart@pobox.com forwards to hart@prairienet.org and archive.org +if your mail bounces from archive.org, I will still see it, if +it bounces from prairienet.org, better resend later on. . . . + +Prof. Hart will answer or forward your message. + +We would prefer to send you information by email. + + +*** + + +Example command-line FTP session: + +ftp ftp.ibiblio.org +login: anonymous +password: your@login +cd pub/docs/books/gutenberg +cd etext90 through etext99 or etext00 through etext02, etc. +dir [to see files] +get or mget [to get files. . .set bin for zip files] +GET GUTINDEX.?? [to get a year's listing of books, e.g., GUTINDEX.99] +GET GUTINDEX.ALL [to get a listing of ALL books] + + +**The Legal Small Print** + + +(Three Pages) + +***START**THE SMALL PRINT!**FOR PUBLIC DOMAIN ETEXTS**START*** +Why is this "Small Print!" statement here? You know: lawyers. +They tell us you might sue us if there is something wrong with +your copy of this etext, even if you got it for free from +someone other than us, and even if what's wrong is not our +fault. So, among other things, this "Small Print!" statement +disclaims most of our liability to you. It also tells you how +you may distribute copies of this etext if you want to. + +*BEFORE!* YOU USE OR READ THIS ETEXT +By using or reading any part of this PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm +etext, you indicate that you understand, agree to and accept +this "Small Print!" statement. If you do not, you can receive +a refund of the money (if any) you paid for this etext by +sending a request within 30 days of receiving it to the person +you got it from. If you received this etext on a physical +medium (such as a disk), you must return it with your request. + +ABOUT PROJECT GUTENBERG-TM ETEXTS +This PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm etext, like most PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm etexts, +is a "public domain" work distributed by Professor Michael S. Hart +through the Project Gutenberg Association (the "Project"). +Among other things, this means that no one owns a United States copyright +on or for this work, so the Project (and you!) can copy and +distribute it in the United States without permission and +without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, set forth +below, apply if you wish to copy and distribute this etext +under the "PROJECT GUTENBERG" trademark. + +Please do not use the "PROJECT GUTENBERG" trademark to market +any commercial products without permission. + +To create these etexts, the Project expends considerable +efforts to identify, transcribe and proofread public domain +works. Despite these efforts, the Project's etexts and any +medium they may be on may contain "Defects". Among other +things, Defects may take the form of incomplete, inaccurate or +corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other +intellectual property infringement, a defective or damaged +disk or other etext medium, a computer virus, or computer +codes that damage or cannot be read by your equipment. + +LIMITED WARRANTY; DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES +But for the "Right of Replacement or Refund" described below, +[1] Michael Hart and the Foundation (and any other party you may +receive this etext from as a PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm etext) disclaims +all liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including +legal fees, and [2] YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE OR +UNDER STRICT LIABILITY, OR FOR BREACH OF WARRANTY OR CONTRACT, +INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE +OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE +POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. + +If you discover a Defect in this etext within 90 days of +receiving it, you can receive a refund of the money (if any) +you paid for it by sending an explanatory note within that +time to the person you received it from. If you received it +on a physical medium, you must return it with your note, and +such person may choose to alternatively give you a replacement +copy. If you received it electronically, such person may +choose to alternatively give you a second opportunity to +receive it electronically. + +THIS ETEXT IS OTHERWISE PROVIDED TO YOU "AS-IS". NO OTHER +WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, ARE MADE TO YOU AS +TO THE ETEXT OR ANY MEDIUM IT MAY BE ON, INCLUDING BUT NOT +LIMITED TO WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A +PARTICULAR PURPOSE. + +Some states do not allow disclaimers of implied warranties or +the exclusion or limitation of consequential damages, so the +above disclaimers and exclusions may not apply to you, and you +may have other legal rights. + +INDEMNITY +You will indemnify and hold Michael Hart, the Foundation, +and its trustees and agents, and any volunteers associated +with the production and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm +texts harmless, from all liability, cost and expense, including +legal fees, that arise directly or indirectly from any of the +following that you do or cause: [1] distribution of this etext, +[2] alteration, modification, or addition to the etext, +or [3] any Defect. + +DISTRIBUTION UNDER "PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm" +You may distribute copies of this etext electronically, or by +disk, book or any other medium if you either delete this +"Small Print!" and all other references to Project Gutenberg, +or: + +[1] Only give exact copies of it. Among other things, this + requires that you do not remove, alter or modify the + etext or this "small print!" statement. You may however, + if you wish, distribute this etext in machine readable + binary, compressed, mark-up, or proprietary form, + including any form resulting from conversion by word + processing or hypertext software, but only so long as + *EITHER*: + + [*] The etext, when displayed, is clearly readable, and + does *not* contain characters other than those + intended by the author of the work, although tilde + (~), asterisk (*) and underline (_) characters may + be used to convey punctuation intended by the + author, and additional characters may be used to + indicate hypertext links; OR + + [*] The etext may be readily converted by the reader at + no expense into plain ASCII, EBCDIC or equivalent + form by the program that displays the etext (as is + the case, for instance, with most word processors); + OR + + [*] You provide, or agree to also provide on request at + no additional cost, fee or expense, a copy of the + etext in its original plain ASCII form (or in EBCDIC + or other equivalent proprietary form). + +[2] Honor the etext refund and replacement provisions of this + "Small Print!" statement. + +[3] Pay a trademark license fee to the Foundation of 20% of the + gross profits you derive calculated using the method you + already use to calculate your applicable taxes. If you + don't derive profits, no royalty is due. Royalties are + payable to "Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation" + the 60 days following each date you prepare (or were + legally required to prepare) your annual (or equivalent + periodic) tax return. Please contact us beforehand to + let us know your plans and to work out the details. + +WHAT IF YOU *WANT* TO SEND MONEY EVEN IF YOU DON'T HAVE TO? +Project Gutenberg is dedicated to increasing the number of +public domain and licensed works that can be freely distributed +in machine readable form. + +The Project gratefully accepts contributions of money, time, +public domain materials, or royalty free copyright licenses. +Money should be paid to the: +"Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." + +If you are interested in contributing scanning equipment or +software or other items, please contact Michael Hart at: +hart@pobox.com + +[Portions of this header are copyright (C) 2001 by Michael S. Hart +and may be reprinted only when these Etexts are free of all fees.] +[Project Gutenberg is a TradeMark and may not be used in any sales +of Project Gutenberg Etexts or other materials be they hardware or +software or any other related product without express permission.] + +*END THE SMALL PRINT! FOR PUBLIC DOMAIN ETEXTS*Ver.07/27/01*END* + + + + + +This etext was produced by David Price, email ccx074@coventry.ac.uk, +from the 1864 "Tales of all Countries" Chapman and Hall edition. + + + + + +THE MAN WHO KEPT HIS MONEY IN A BOX + +by Anthony Trollope + + + + +I first 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. + +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. + +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 coupe 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. + +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. + +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 Quadrilatere,--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. + +"You should not have missed the Via Mala," I said to him, as he stood +warming his toes at the huge covered stove. + +"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. + +"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. + +"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. + +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. + +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. + +Mr. Greene was very leisurely in his proceedings, and the four waiters +were almost reduced to despair. + +"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. + +"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." + +"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--" + +"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." + +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. + +"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." + +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. + +"You are an Englishman, Mr. Robinson," said he. I acknowledged that I +was. + +"I am another. My wife, however, is Irish. My daughter,--by a former +marriage,--is English also. You see that box there." + +"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. + +"I don't know whether or no it is prudent, but I keep all my money +there; my money for travelling, I mean." + +"If I were you, then," I answered, "I would not say anything about it +to any one." + +"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." + +"Bills of exchange, or circular notes," I suggested. + +"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." + +"But you never get the value for them." + +"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. + +"Undoubtedly, if you consent to lose a shilling on each sovereign." + +"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." + +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." + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +"How very pleasant," said Mrs. Greene. "It will be quite delightful +to have some one to show us how to settle ourselves, for really--" + +"My dear, I'm sure you can't say that you ever have much trouble." + +"And who does then, Mr. Greene? I am sure Sophonisba does not do much +to help me." + +"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. + +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 MY 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?" + +"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. + +At four o'clock on the next morning we started on our journey. + + +"Early to bed, and early to rise, +Is the way to be healthy, and wealthy, and wise." + + +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!" + +"It is well for us that we have women to look after us." + +"But you have got no one to look after you;--or perhaps you have left +her behind?" + +"No, indeed. I'm all alone in the world as yet. But it's not my own +fault. I have asked half a dozen." + +"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. + +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. + +"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. + +"As safe as a church," I replied, not wishing to give much apparent +importance to the subject. + +"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. + +"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. + +I had made up my mind that Sophonisba was ill-natured; but, +nevertheless, she was pretty, and I now went through some little +manoeuvres 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." + +"It is natural she should be anxious," I said, "seeing that it +contains so much that is valuable." + +"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." + +"But all Mr. Greene's money is there also." + +"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?" + +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. + +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. + +"We have to go in that boat," I said to Greene. + +"Nonsense!" he exclaimed. + +"Oh, but we have." + +"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?" + +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. + +"If you will get down into the boat," I said, "I will see that the +luggage follows you before I leave the deck." + +"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." + +"I wish they would," Sophonisba whispered into my ear. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +"Mr. Greene," she said, as soon as she saw her heavily oppressed +spouse,--for the noonday sun was up,--"Mr. Greene, where are you?" + +"Here, my dear," and Mr. Greene threw himself panting into the corner +of a sofa. + +"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. + +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." + +"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. + +"How am I to know?" she answered; and I fancied that even she was +dismayed. "What a fool that woman is!" + +"The box must be in the house," I said. + +"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." + +"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. + +"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. + +"It has been stolen before your very eyes," she continued. + +"Nonsense, mamma," said Sophonisba. "If ever it came out of the +steamer it certainly came into the house." + +"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." + +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. + +"I will speak to the landlord," I said. + +"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. + +"There are no police at Bellaggio," said Sophonisba. + +"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. + +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. + +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. + +"You must send to England," said Sophonisba. + +"It will take a month," he replied. + +"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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +"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?" + +"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? + +A few minutes afterwards I found myself with Greene on the terrace +before the house. "What ought I to do?" said he. + +"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." + +"But I can't speak a word of Italian," said he. + +"Take the Boots," said I. + +"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. + +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. + +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. + +"Has Monsieur found the accursed trunk?" said the Bellaggio Boots, +meeting me on the quay. + +"In the name of the--, no. Has it not turned up here?" + +"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. + +"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. + +"Then what on earth am I to do for my money?" said Mr. Greene. + +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. + +"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. + +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. + +"Wait for money from England." + +"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. + +"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. + +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. + +"Do you mean to say that it's gone for ever?" he asked. + +"I'll not leave the country without knowing more about it," said Mrs. +Greene. + +"It certainly is very odd," said Sophonisba. Even Sophonisba seemed +to think that I was too off-hand. + +"It will be a month before I can get money, and my bill here will be +something tremendous," said Greene. + +"I wouldn't pay them a farthing till I got my box," said Mrs. Greene. + +"That's nonsense," said Sophonisba. And so it was. "Hold your +tongue, Miss!" said the step-mother. + +"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. + +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. + +"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." + +"I should like it so much," said Sophonisba. + +"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?" + +"The police at Como?" I said. "I did not go to the police." + +"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." + +"I suppose I had better write home for money," said he. + +"And do you mean to say that you haven't written yet?" said I, +probably with some acrimony in my voice. + +"You needn't scold papa," said Sophonisba. + +"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? + +"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! + +"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! + +"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." + +"Why didn't you bring a policeman back with you?" + +"You would tell everybody on board the boat what there was in it," +said I. + +"I told nobody but you," she answered. + +"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. + +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. + +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?" + +"Perhaps not," said I; and yet I knew that I had seen it. + +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. + +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. + +"I hope your father has written that letter," said I. + +"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." + +"Oh!" said I thinking of the bill immediately, and remembering that +Mrs. Greene had insisted on having champagne for dinner. + +"And if anything more is to be done about the nasty box, it may be +done there," continued Sophonisba. + +"But I must go to-morrow," said I, "at 5 a.m." + +"Nonsense," said Sophonisba. "Go to-morrow, when I,--I mean we,--are +going on the next day!" + +"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--" + +"To what?" + +"To advance Mr. Greene any more money just at present." Then +Sophonisba's arm dropped all at once, and she exclaimed, "Oh, Mr. +Robinson!" + +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. + +"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. + +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. + +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. + +"So you are going to desert us," said Mrs. Greene. + +"I must go on upon my journey," I pleaded in a weak apologetic voice. + +"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! + +"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. + +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. + +"I'll leave the portmanteau till to-morrow morning," said he. + +"All right," said I. + +"Because," said he, "there will be such a crowd of things in the hall. +The big trunk I will take away now." + +"Big trunk,--what big trunk?" + +"The trunk with your rug over it, on which your portmanteau stood." + +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! + +"It is my box," said Mrs. Greene, pushing me away, as she hurried up +and put her finger within the rent. + +"It certainly does look like it," said Mr. Greene, peering over his +wife's shoulder. + +"There's no doubt about the box," said Sophonisba. + +"Not the least in life," said I, trying to assume an indifferent look. + +"Mon Dieu!" said the Boots. + +"Corpo di Baccho!" exclaimed the landlord, who had now joined the +party. + +"Oh--h--h--h--!" screamed Mrs. Greene, and then she threw herself hack +on to my bed, and shrieked hysterically. + +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. + +Mrs. Greene's eyes, when she had done being hysterical, were terrible, +and Sophonisba looked at me as though I were a convicted thief. + + "Who put the box here?" I said, turning fiercely upon the Boots. + +"I did," said the Boots, "by Monsieur's express order." + +"By my order?" I exclaimed. + +"Certainly," said the Boots. + +"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. + +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! + +"My dear," said Mr. Greene, turning to his wife, "you should never +mention the contents of your luggage to any one." + +"I never will again," said Mrs. Greene, with a mock repentant air, +"but I really thought--" + +"One never can be sure of sharpers," said Mr. Greene. + +"That's true," said Mrs. Greene. + +"After all, it may have been accidental," said Sophonisba, on hearing +which good-natured surmise both papa and mamma Greene shook their +suspicious heads. + +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-mache 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. + +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. + +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. + +"Greene, my dear," said the lady, "pay the gentleman his ten +napoleons." + +"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. + +I took the gold, slipped it with an indifferent air into my waistcoat +pocket, and then refolded my arms across my breast. + +"Papa," said Sophonisba, in a very audible whisper, "Mr. Robinson went +for you to Como. Indeed, I believe he says he went to Milan." + +"Do not let that be mentioned," said I. + +"By all means pay him his expenses," said Mrs. Greene; "I would not +owe him anything for worlds." + +"He should be paid," said Sophonisba. + +"Oh, certainly," said Mr. Greene. And he at once extracted another +sovereign, and tendered it to me in the face of the assembled +multitude. + +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. + +"We will be under no obligation to him," said Mrs. Greene; "and I +shall insist on his taking the money." + +"The servant will put it on his dressing-table," said Sophonisba. And +she handed the sovereign to the Boots, giving him instructions. + +"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. + +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. + +"I believe I may now go," said I. + +"Good night," said Mrs. Greene. + +"Adieu," said Sophonisba. + +"I have the pleasure of wishing you good-bye," said Mr. Greene. + +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. + +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. + +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? + +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. + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg eText The Man Who Kept his Money in a Box + diff --git a/old/mnkmb10.zip b/old/mnkmb10.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..f1e269e --- /dev/null +++ b/old/mnkmb10.zip |