Ormond; Or The Secret Witness. Volume 1 (of 3) Read online

  CHAPTER I.

  Stephen Dudley was a native of New York. He was educated to theprofession of a painter. His father's trade was that of an apothecary.But this son, manifesting an attachment to the pencil, he was resolvedthat it should be gratified. For this end Stephen was sent at an earlyage to Europe, and not only enjoyed the instructions of Fuzeli andBartolozzi, but spent a considerable period in Italy, in studying theAugustan and Medicean monuments. It was intended that he should practisehis art in his native city, but the young man, though reconciled tothis scheme by deference to paternal authority, and by a sense of itspropriety, was willing as long as possible to postpone it. Theliberality of his father relieved him from all pecuniary cares. Hiswhole time was devoted to the improvement of his skill in his favouriteart, and the enriching of his mind with every valuable accomplishment.He was endowed with a comprehensive genius and indefatigable industry.His progress was proportionably rapid, and he passed his time withoutmuch regard to futurity, being too well satisfied with the present toanticipate a change. A change however was unavoidable, and he wasobliged at length to pay a reluctant obedience to his father's repeatedsummons. The death of his wife had rendered his society still morenecessary to the old gentleman.

  He married before his return. The woman whom he had selected was anunportioned orphan, and was recommended merely by her moral qualities.These, however, were eminent, and secured to her, till the end of herlife, the affection of her husband. Though painting was capable of fullygratifying his taste as matter of amusement, he quickly found that, inhis new situation, it would not answer the ends of a profession. Hisfather supported himself by the profits of his shop, but with all hisindustry he could do no more than procure a subsistence for himself andhis son.

  Till his father's death young Dudley attached himself to painting. Hisgains were slender, but he loved the art, and his father's professionrendered his own exertions in a great degree superfluous. The death ofthe elder Dudley introduced an important change in his situation. Itthenceforth became necessary to strike into some new path, to denyhimself the indulgence of his inclinations, and regulate his futureexertions by a view to nothing but gain. There was little room forchoice. His habits had disqualified him for mechanical employments. Hecould not stoop to the imaginary indignity which attended them, norspare the time necessary to obtain the requisite degree of skill. Hisfather died in possession of some stock, and a sufficient portion ofcredit to supply its annual decays. He lived at what they call a _goodstand_, and enjoyed a certain quantity of permanent custom. Theknowledge that was required was as easily obtained as the elements ofany other profession, and was not wholly unallied to the pursuits inwhich he had sometimes engaged. Hence he could not hesitate long informing his resolution, but assumed the management of his father'sconcerns with a cheerful and determined spirit.

  The knowledge of his business was acquired in no long time; He wasstimulated to the acquisition by a sense of duty; he was inured tohabits of industry, and there were few things capable to resist astrenuous exertion of his faculties. Knowledge of whatever kind affordeda compensation to labour; but the task being finished, that whichremained, which in ordinary apprehensions would have been esteemed aneasy and smooth path, was to him insupportably disgustful. The drudgeryof a shop, where all the faculties were at a stand, and one day was anunvaried repetition of the foregoing, was too incongenial to hisdisposition not to be a source of discontent. This was an evil which itwas the tendency of time to increase rather than diminish. The longer heendured it the less tolerable it became. He could not forbear comparinghis present situation with his former, and deriving from the contrastperpetual food for melancholy.

  The indulgence of his father had contributed to instil into himprejudices, in consequence of which a certain species of disgrace wasannexed to every employment of which the only purpose was gain. Hispresent situation not only precluded all those pursuits which exalt andharmonize the feelings, but was detested by him as something humiliatingand ignominious. His wife was of a pliant temper, and her condition lessinfluenced by this change than that of her husband. She was qualified tobe his comforter; but instead of dispelling his gloom by judiciousarguments, or a seasonable example of vivacity, she caught the infectionthat preyed upon his mind, and augmented his anxieties by partaking inthem.

  By enlarging in some degree the foundation on which his father hadbuilt, he had provided the means of a future secession, and mightconsole himself with the prospect of enjoying his darling ease at someperiod of his life. This period was necessarily too remote for hiswishes; and had not certain occurrences taken place, by which he wasflattered with the immediate possession of ease, it is far from beingcertain that he would not have fallen a victim to his growingdisquietudes.

  He was one morning engaged behind his counter as usual, when a youthcame into his shop, and, in terms that bespoke the union of fearlessnessand frankness, inquired whether he could be engaged as an apprentice. Aproposal of this kind could not be suddenly rejected or adopted. Hestood in need of assistance; the youth was manly and blooming, andexhibited a modest and ingenuous aspect. It was possible that he was, inevery respect, qualified for the post for which he applied; but it waspreviously necessary to ascertain these qualifications. For this end herequested the youth to call at his house in the evening, when he shouldbe at leisure to converse with him, and furnished him with suitabledirections.

  The youth came according to appointment. On being questioned as to hisbirthplace and origin, he stated that he was a native of Wakefield, inYorkshire; that his family were honest, and his education not mean; thathe was the eldest, of many children, and having attained an age at whichhe conceived it his duty to provide for himself, he had, with theconcurrence of his friends, come to America, in search of the means ofindependent subsistence; that he had just arrived in a ship which henamed, and, his scanty stock of money being likely to be speedilyconsumed, this had been the first effort he had made to procureemployment.

  His tale was circumstantial and consistent, and his veracity appearedliable to no doubt. He was master of his book and his pen, and hadacquired more than the rudiments of Latin. Mr. Dudley did not requiremuch time to deliberate. In a few days the youth was established as amember of his family, and as a coadjutor in his shop, nothing but food,clothing, and lodging being stipulated as the reward of his services.

  The young man improved daily in the good opinion of his master. Hisapprehension was quick, his sobriety invariable, and his applicationincessant. Though by no means presumptuous or arrogant, he was notwanting in a suitable degree of self-confidence. All his propensitiesappeared to concentre in his occupation and the promotion of hismaster's interest, from which he was drawn aside by no allurements ofsensual or intellectual pleasure. In a short time he was able to relievehis master of most of the toils of his profession, and Mr. Dudley athousand times congratulated himself on possessing a servant equallyqualified by his talents and his probity. He gradually remitted hisattention to his own concerns, and placed more absolute reliance on thefidelity of his dependant.

  Young Craig, that was the name of the youth, maintained a punctualcorrespondence with his family, and confided to his patron, not onlycopies of all the letters which he himself wrote, but those which, fromtime to time, he received. He had several correspondents, but the chiefof those were his mother and his eldest sister. The sentiments containedin their letters breathed the most appropriate simplicity and,tenderness, and flowed with the nicest propriety, from the differentrelationships of mother and sister. The style, and even the penmanship,were distinct and characteristical.

  One of the first of these epistles was written by the mother to Mr.Dudley, on being informed by her son of his present engagement. It wasdictated by that concern for the welfare of her child befitting thematernal character. Gratitude, for the ready acceptance of the youth'sservices, and for the benignity of his deportment towards him, a justrepresentation of which had been received by her from the boy himself,was expressed with no inc
onsiderable elegance; as well as her earnestwishes that Mr. Dudley should extend to him not only the indulgence, butthe moral superintendence of a parent.

  To this Mr. Dudley conceived it incumbent upon him to return aconsenting answer, and letters were in this manner occasionallyinterchanged between them.

  Things remained in this situation for three years, during which periodevery day enhanced the reputation of Craig, for stability and integrity.A sort of provisional engagement had been made between the parents,unattended however by any legal or formal act, that things should remainon their present footing for three years. When this period terminated,it seemed as if a new engagement had become necessary. Craig expressedthe utmost willingness to renew the former contract, but his masterbegan to think that the services of his pupil merited a higherrecompense. He ascribed the prosperity that had hitherto attended him tothe disinterested exertions of his apprentice. His social and literarygratifications had been increased by the increase of his leisure. Thesewere capable of being still more enlarged. He had not yet acquired whathe deemed a sufficiency, and could not therefore wholly relieve himselffrom the turmoils and humiliation of a professional life. He concludedthat he should at once consult his own interest, and perform no morethan an act of justice to a faithful servant, by making Craig hispartner, and allowing him a share of the profits, on condition of hisdischarging all the duties of the trade.

  When this scheme was proposed to Craig he professed unbounded gratitude,considered all that he had done as amply rewarded by the pleasure ofperformance, and as being nothing more than was prescribed by his duty.He promised that this change in his situation should have no othereffect than to furnish new incitements to diligence and fidelity, in thepromotion of an interest, which would then become in a still higherdegree than formerly a common one. Mr. Dudley communicated hisintention to Craig's mother, who, in addition to many gratefulacknowledgments, stated that a kinsman of her son had enabled him, incase of entering into partnership, to add a small sum to the commonstock, and that for this sum Craig was authorized to draw upon a Londonbanker. The proposed arrangement was speedily effected. Craig wascharged with the management of all affairs, and Mr. Dudley retired tothe enjoyment of still greater leisure. Two years elapsed, and nothingoccurred to interrupt the harmony that subsisted between the partners.Mr. Dudley's condition might be esteemed prosperous. His wealth wasconstantly accumulating. He had nearly attained all that he wished, andhis wishes still aimed at nothing less than splendid opulence. He hadannually increased the permanent sources of his revenue. His daughterwas the only survivor of many children who perished in their infancy,before habit and maturity, had rendered the parental tie difficult tobreak. This daughter had already exhibited proofs of a mind susceptibleof high improvement, and the loveliness of her person promised to keeppace with her mental acquisitions. He charged himself with the care ofher education, and found no weariness or satiety in this task that mightnot be amply relieved by the recreations of science and literature. Heflattered himself that his career, which had hitherto been exempt fromany considerable impediment, would terminate in tranquillity. Few menmight with more propriety have discarded all apprehensions respectingfuturity.

  Craig had several sisters, and one brother younger than himself. Mr.Dudley, desirous of promoting the happiness of this family, proposed tosend for this brother and have him educated to his own profession,insinuating to his partner that at the time when the boy should havegained sufficient stability and knowledge, he himself might be disposedto relinquish the profession altogether, on terms particularlyadvantageous to the two brothers, who might thenceforth conduct theirbusiness jointly. Craig had been eloquent in praise of this lad, and histestimony had, from time to time, been confirmed by that of his motherand sister. He had often expressed his wishes for the prosperity of thelad; and, when his mother had expressed her doubts as to the best methodof disposing of him, modestly requested Mr. Dudley's advice on thishead. The proposal, therefore, might be supposed to be particularlyacceptable, and yet Craig expressed reluctance to concur with it. Thisreluctance was accompanied with certain tokens which sufficientlyshowed whence it arose. Craig appeared unwilling to increase thoseobligations under which he already laboured; his sense of gratitude wastoo acute to allow him to heighten it by the reception of new benefits.

  It might be imagined that this objection would be easily removed; butthe obstinacy of Craig's opposition was invincible. Mr. Dudley could notrelinquish a scheme to which no stronger objection could be made; and,since his partner could not be prevailed upon to make this proposal tothe friends of the lad, he was determined to do it himself. Hemaintained an intercourse by letters with several of those friends whichhe formed in his youth. One of them usually resided in London. From himhe received about this time a letter, in which, among other information,the writer mentioned his intention of setting out on a tour throughYorkshire and the Scottish highlands. Mr. Dudley thought this asuitable opportunity for executing his design in favour of young Craig.He entertained no doubts about the worth and condition of this family,but was still desirous of obtaining some information on this head fromone who would pass through the town where they resided, who wouldexamine with his own eyes, and on whose discernment and integrity hecould place an implicit reliance. He concealed this intention from hispartner, and entrusted his letter to a friend who was just embarking forEurope. In due season he received an answer, confirming, in allrespects, Craig's representations, but informing him that the lad hadbeen lately disposed of in a way not equally advantageous with thatwhich Mr. Dudley had proposed, but such as would not admit of change.

  If doubts could possibly be entertained respecting the character andviews of Craig, this evidence would have dispelled them. But plans,however skilfully contrived, if founded on imposture, cannot fail ofbeing sometimes detected. Craig had occasion to be absent from the cityfor some weeks. Meanwhile a letter had been left at his lodgings by onewho merely inquired if that were the dwelling of Mr. Dudley, and beinganswered by the servant in the affirmative, left the letter withoutfurther parley. It was superscribed with a name unknown to any of thefamily, and in a hand which its badness rendered almost illegible. Theservant placed it in a situation to be seen by his master.

  Mr. Dudley allowed it to remain unopened for a considerable time. Atlength, deeming it excusable to discover by any means the person to whomit was addressed, he ventured to unseal it. It was dated at Portsmouthin New-Hampshire. The signature was Mary Mansfield. It was addressed toher son, and was a curious specimen of illiterateness. Mary herself wasunable to write, as she reminds her son, and had therefore procured theassistance of Mrs. Dewitt, for whose family she washed. The amanuensiswas but little superior in the art of penmanship to her principal. Thecontents of the epistle were made out with some difficulty. This was thesubstance of it:--

  Mary reproaches her son for deserting her, and letting five years passaway without allowing her to hear from him. She informed him of herdistresses as they flowed from sickness and poverty, and were aggravatedby the loss of her son who was so handsome and promising a lad. Sherelated her marriage with Zekel Hackney, who first brought her tidingsof her boy. He was master, it seems, of a fishing smack, and voyagedsometimes to New York. In one of his visits, to this city he met amighty spry young man, in whom he thought he recognized his wife's son.He had traced him to the house of Mr. Dudley, and on inquiry discoveredthat the lad resided here. On his return he communicated the tidings tohis spouse, who had now written to reproach him for his neglect of hispoor old mother, and to entreat his assistance to relieve her from thenecessity of drudging for her livelihood.

  This letter was capable of an obvious construction. It was, no doubt,founded in mistake, though it was to be acknowledged that the mistakewas singular. Such was the conclusion immediately formed by Mr. Dudley.He quietly replaced the letter on the mantel-piece, where it had beforestood, and dismissed the affair from his thoughts.

  Next day Craig returned from his journey. Mr. Dudley was e
mployed inexamining some papers in a desk that stood behind the door in theapartment in which the letter was placed. There was no other person inthe room when Craig entered it. He did not perceive Mr. Dudley, who wasscreened from observation by his silence and by an open door. As soon ashe entered, Mr. Dudley looked at him, and made no haste to speak. Theletter, whose superscription was turned towards him, immediatelyattracted Craig's attention. He seized it with some degree of eagerness,and observing the broken seal, thrust it hastily into his pocket,muttering at the same time, in a tone betokening a mixture ofconsternation and anger, "Damn it!"--He immediately left the room, stilluninformed of the presence of Mr. Dudley, who began to muse with someearnestness on what he had seen. Soon after, he left this room, and wentinto another in which the family usually sat. In about twenty minutesCraig made his appearance with his usual freedom and plausibility.Complimentary and customary topics were discussed. Mrs. Dudley and herdaughter were likewise present. The uneasiness which the incident justmentioned had occasioned in the mind of Mr. Dudley was at firstdispelled by the disembarrassed behaviour of his partner, but new matterof suspicion was speedily afforded him. He observed that his partnerspoke of his present entrance as of the first since his arrival, andthat when the lady mentioned that he had been the subject of a curiousmistake, a letter being directed to him by a strange name, and leftthere during his absence, he pretended total ignorance of thecircumstance. The young lady was immediately directed by her mother tobring the letter, which lay, she said, on the mantle-tree in the nextroom.

  During this scene Mr. Dudley was silent. He anticipated thedisappointment of the messenger, believing the letter to have beenremoved. What then was his surprise when the messenger returned bearingthe letter in her hand! Craig examined and read it, and commented withgreat mirth on the contents, acting all the while as if he had neverseen it before. These appearances were not qualified to quiet suspicion;the more Dudley brooded over them the more dissatisfied he became. Hehowever concealed his thoughts, as well from Craig himself as hisfamily, impatiently waiting for some new occurrence to arise by which hemight square his future proceedings.

  During Craig's absence Mrs. Dudley had thought this a proper occasionfor cleaning his apartment. The furniture, and among the rest, a largechest strongly fastened, was removed into an adjoining room which wasotherwise unoccupied, and which was usually kept locked. When thecleansing was finished, the furniture was replaced, except this trunk,which its bulk, the indolence of the servant, and her opinion of itsuselessness, occasioned her to leave in the closet.

  About a week after this, on a Saturday evening, Craig invited to supwith him a friend who was to embark on the ensuing Monday for Jamaica.During supper, at which the family were present, the discourse turned onthe voyage on which the guest was about to enter. In the course of talkthe stranger expressed how much he stood in need of a strong andcommodious chest, in which he might safely deposit his cloths andpapers. Not being apprized of the early departure of the vessel, he haddeferred till it was too late applying to an artizan.

  Craig desired him to set himself at rest on that head, for that he hadin his possession just such a trunk as he described. It was of no use tohim, being long filled with nothing better than refuse and lumber, andthat, if he would, he might send for it the next morning. He turned toMrs. Dudley and observed, that the trunk to which he alluded was in herpossession, and he would thank her to direct its removal into his ownapartment, that he might empty it of its present contents, and prepareit for the service of his friend. To this she readily assented.

  There was nothing mysterious in this affair, but the mind of Mr. Dudleywas pained with doubts. He was now as prone to suspect as he wasformerly disposed to confidence. This evening he put the key of thecloset in his own pocket. When inquired for the next day, it was, ofcourse, missing. It could not be found on the most diligent search. Theoccasion was not of such moment as to justify breaking the door. Mr.Dudley imagined that he saw in Craig more uneasiness at thisdisappointment than he was willing to express. There was no remedy. Thechest remained where it was, and next morning the ship departed on hervoyage.

  Craig accompanied his friend on board, was prevailed upon to go to seawith him, designing to return with the pilot-boat, but when the pilotwas preparing to leave the vessel, such was this man's complaisance tothe wishes of his friend, that he concluded to perform the remainder ofthe voyage in his company. The consequences are easily seen. Craig hadgone with a resolution of never returning. The unhappy Dudley was leftto deplore the total ruin of his fortune, which had fallen a prey tothe arts of a subtle imposture.

  The chest was opened, and the part which Craig had been playing for someyears, with so much success, was perfectly explained. It appeared thatthe sum which Craig had contributed to the common stock, when firstadmitted into partnership, had been previously purloined from the dailyreceipts of his shop, of which an exact register was kept. Craig hadbeen so indiscreet as to preserve this accusing record, and it wasdiscovered in this depository. He was the son of Mary Mansfield, and anative of Portsmouth. The history of the Wakefield family, specious andcomplicated as it was, was entirely fictitious. The letters had beenforged, and the correspondence supported by his own dexterity. Here wasfound the letter which Mr. Dudley had written to his friend requestinghim to make certain inquiries at Wakefield, and which he imagined thathe had delivered with his own hands to a trusty bearer. Here was theoriginal draught of the answer he received. The manner in which thisstratagem had been accomplished came gradually to light. The letterwhich was written to the Yorkshire traveller had been purloined, andanother with a similar superscription, in which the hand of Dudley wasexactly imitated, and containing only brief and general remarks, hadbeen placed in its stead. Craig must have suspected its contents, and bythis suspicion have been incited to the theft. The answer which theEnglishman had really written, and which sufficiently corresponded withthe forged letter, had been intercepted by Craig, and furnished him amodel from which he might construct an answer adapted to his ownpurposes.

  This imposture had not been sustained for a trivial purpose. He hadembezzled a large share of the stock, and had employed the credit of thehouse to procure extensive remittances to be made to an agent at adistance, by whom the property was effectually secured. Craig had goneto participate these spoils, while the whole estate of Mr. Dudley wasinsufficient to pay the demands that were consequently made upon him.

  It was his lot to fall into the grasp of men who squared their actionsby no other standard than law, and who esteemed every claim to beincontestably just that could plead that sanction. They did not indeedthrow him into prison. When they had despoiled him of every remnant ofhis property, they deemed themselves entitled to his gratitude forleaving his person unmolested.