Books: The Man Who Kept His Money In A Box
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Anthony Trollope >> The Man Who Kept His Money In A Box
"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.