The young man’s agony was painful, and his face became more haggard in a few moments from mental suffering than age could have effected during a course of years.
“What do you think they will do with me, Sir Richard? I shall plead guilty, and save unnecessary trouble and expense.”
“Guilty? Yes, I think so, when so many were witness to it; and your sentence will be to reform, keep early hours, leave wine parties alone and gambling, and beg the old dame’s pardon for swearing at her to-night.”
Had he been shot Charley could not have been more suddenly startled.
Starting to his feet, and looking wildly about him, he comprehended all—Sir Richard knew nothing of his having the bills; and, with a heavy sigh, which then escaped him, there was lifted an insupportable weight of doubt and pain from his soul, and he breathed more freely and rapidly as one who has been running fast, or carrying a heavy load.
Infinitely relieved, the young man even attempted to smile at the unexpected and fortunate turn his imaginings had taken, and, with as much self-command as he could bring to bear upon the conversation, laughed, and begged Sir Richard’s pardon for his wild life of late, and inebriety that night, when the kind old dame was knocked over in the passage, and his own nose had come into violent contact with the stairs.
When Sir Richard had departed, in good humour with the repentant youth, Charley drew the sofa nearer to the fire, and began to congratulate himself upon escaping an anticipated suspicion.
“I was sure, he knew all about it,” thought Charles; “and felt as if I was suspended between heaven and earth! Oh! what a relief it was. It is the first, and I will take care it shall be the last time I ever act so carelessly again, as sure as I live! If professional thieves suffer only half what I have done since evening, and for no crime whatever, I am sure they would never follow their trade very long. Let me see—I placed the package under the sofa mattress; if either had seen it lying on my table, I should have blown my brains out! But where is it? Gone!” said he, in astonishment, as he examined in every place, “gone! Who could have taken it? No one knew it to be there. Gone it is, undoubtedly. I have searched everywhere, but it can’t be found. Good Heavens! What shall I do? Which of them could have taken it? No, no, neither of them could have seen or felt it; it must be here!”
Charles searched in every imaginable nook and corner, but could not discover the missing roll of bills.
He had placed it under the sofa mattress, he was confident, and unknown to either of his visitors.