‘Yes.’
The head was withdrawn, and the door being opened, admitted no less a person than Mr. Kornicker, somewhat faded in appearance since we last saw him, but still wearing an air of dashing pretension. He stood at the door, shaking his head, winking to himself, and fumbling in his pocket, evidently in a state of great mental perplexity, probably from his entertaining doubts as to what would be the character of his reception; or from his being equally uncertain as to the best mode of opening the conversation. Nor was he at all relieved by Rust, who without moving, fastened his eye upon him with a cold, steadfast stare.
Kornicker, however, seemed to have fixed upon his course of action at last; for he walked up to him, and stretching out his hand, said:
‘Wont you give us your flipper, my old fellow? You’re in trouble, but I’ll stand by you to the last. If I don’t, damme!’ He struck his other hand on the table, and nodded and winked with great vehemence.
‘So there is yet one who has not turned his back on the felon,’ said Rust, partly addressing Kornicker and partly speaking to himself; ‘one true man; a rare thing in this world; a jewel—a jewel, beyond all price; and like all costly stones, found only in the poorest soils; but,’ added he, ‘what have I done to gain friends, or to link one solitary heart to my fortunes?—what?’
He shook his head; and although his face was unmoved, and he spoke in the low, half-soliloquizing manner of one who rather brooded over the past than regretted it, yet there was something so sad in his tone, and in his melancholy gesture, that it did more to call forth the warm feelings of Kornicker than the most eloquent language.
‘What have you done?’ demanded he, earnestly; ‘I’ll tell you what you did. When I was at low water mark, with scarce a rag to my back or a crust to my stomach, and without a prospect of getting one, you took me by the hand, and in a d——d gentlemanly way gave me a [!-- original reads 492 --]h’ist out of the gutter. That’s what you did; and if you did flare up now and then, and haul me over the coals; it was soon over, and soon forgotten. I don’t bear malice, old fellow; no, no. It isn’t my way; and as you’re in trouble now, if I can help you, I will. Never desert any one; am unfortunately bloody short of cash; but you can have what I’ve got, and when I get more, you shall have that too.’
As he spoke, he plunged his hand to the bottom of his pocket, drew out a very shabby-looking pocket-book, deposited it on the table.
‘It isn’t much; but you’ll find it useful here, and you’re welcome to it. This isn’t the shop where nothing put out at interest produces a heavy income.’
This offer had a powerful effect upon Rust; and it seemed as if some long dormant feelings were working their way to the surface from the depths of his heart. He gazed earnestly at his clerk, and once or twice opened his mouth to speak; but finally he got up, and taking the pocket-book from the table, handed it back to Kornicker, saying: