Somehow or other the lad had acquired a relish for the work in which he was engaged. A desire to please his sister, whom he loved, had been strengthened by the dislike he had conceived for Mr. Gibbs. Had he known half as much of strange mysteries as the author of “Zanoni,” he might have fancied that he was impelled by some secret sympathy or antipathy over which he had no control. But Paul knew very little even about the great novelist’s romantic books, much less of Victor Cousin, Condillac and materialism, Jamblichus and Polinus, Swedenborg and Behemen, the golden ass of Apuleius and Hamilton’s metaphysics; and all he had ever heard of Puysegur and Mesmer was at a provincial lecture on Mesmerism and Biology by a quack, who amused his audience immensely with a couple of confederates.
So Paul never attempted to investigate the fascination which an exposure of Mr. Gibbs had for him, coupled with a vague sort of desire to save Mr. Richard Tallant and Mr. Hammerton from the machinations of so consummate a scoundrel. The sequel, however, may appear as if some secret power were at work to bring those two opposing forces, Paul Somerton and Shuffleton Gibbs, in contact.
He had watched at the club-door for some nights before Mr. Hammerton appeared again. He came at last, however, and Paul at once accosted him.
It had occurred to Paul previously that he would endeavour to watch the players until he openly detected Shuffleton’s double cards, and then rush into the room and denounce him.
But this he thought would compromise the poor club-keeper’s position, and was a little more showy and romantic than necessary. So Paul accosted the Hon. Mr. Hammerton, and as he did so Mr. Shuffleton Gibbs passed into the club, and noticed the incident.
Mr. Hammerton was impatient at first, but when Paul told him whom he was, his curiosity was aroused, and Paul’s earnestness soon rivetted his attention.
“Not a very creditable part to play, my young friend, that of spy upon the conduct of your master and his friends, by-and-by,” said Mr. Hammerton.
“If I do good thereby to my master?” said Paul, a little timidly, as the nature of his employment struck him in the new light suggested by Mr. Hammerton.
“I think you have overstepped the bounds of both duty and prudence,” said Mr. Hammerton.
“You may change your opinion,” said Paul, more courageously. “I entered upon the business in your interest as well as Mr. Tallant’s.”