CHAPTER VII.
"And now, my dear William," said Sir Sidney Delaware, as soon as Mr. Tims had departed, and the rolling wheels of his post-chaise were no longer heard grating down the western avenue--"And now, my dear William, lay your angry spirit. Depend upon it, that man carries with him a sufficient punishment in the disappointment he has suffered. He is one of that class of rogues for whom the old Athenians, finding no appropriate corporeal infliction, decreed the punishment of the Stela; or, in other words, ordered their names and infamy to be engraved upon a pillar, and thus held them up to shame for ever.
"As our law has no such just award," replied Captain Delaware, "I should certainly have had great pleasure in writing his shame on his back with a horsewhip instead; but of course, as you did not like it, I forbore."
"No, no, my dear boy!" said his father, "You would have degraded yourself, gratified him, and had to pay a large sum for a small satisfaction. But now all that is past; explain to us the rest of the business. How happened the money to arrive so apropos, and without the accompaniment of the miser of Ryebury? Was Mr. Tims senior, unwilling to meet Mr. Tims junior, on a business, in regard to which it was evident that the lawyer both wished and anticipated a different result?"
"Strange enough to say, my dear sir," replied Captain Delaware, "you are asking me questions which I cannot at all answer--There is Blanche smiling," he added, "because I told her the same, before I came down, and she chose to be incredulous--though she knows that there never was sailor or landsman yet, so little given to romancing as I am."
"But you can tell me when it was you received the money?" said Sir Sidney, in some degree of surprise.
"Oh, certainly, sir!" answered his son. "It was this morning, not long before Blanche came up to my room."
"Why, they told me you had not been out this morning," said his father.
"Neither have I, my dear sir," replied Captain Delaware.
"In short, papa, he makes a mystery of the whole affair," said Blanche; "and will not say how or where he got it."