“Mr. Atkins,” said the young man, courteously, “will you favor me with a few minutes’ conversation with you?”
The merchant’s first impulse was to order him out of the office, but Harrington’s manner was at once so courteous and so dignified that he found it difficult to treat him with incivility.
“Driscoll,” said he, “just wait outside a few minutes. Now, Mr. Harrington, what is it?”
Driscoll withdrew just outside of the open door, where he remained standing, while Harrington took a chair beside the merchant, who turned his obstinate, energetic face straight to the wall before him, and linked his fingers, with the air of one who was resolved to hear patiently all that could be said, and not be moved by anything.
“Mr. Atkins,” began Harrington, “I have called to see you about this man Antony. I am aware that he escaped from New Orleans in one of your vessels, and I fully appreciate the difficulties of the position in which his escape has placed you. If it should happen to become known, it not only injures the credit and character of your house in New Orleans, but it renders your captain liable to imprisonment. Is it not so, Mr. Atkins?”
“It is, Mr. Harrington,” replied the merchant, somewhat disconcerted by the gentle suavity of Harrington’s manner, and by his fair statement of the matter, which were not what he had anticipated.
“On the other hand, Mr. Atkins,” pursued Harrington, “is the fact that this negro escaped, as there is no reason to doubt, from a master of unusual hardness, and only after being very cruelly treated. Furthermore, he chanced to find shelter with your sister, who feels a deep sympathy for his misfortunes, and would be very seriously injured both in health and spirits if he were returned to the unhappy life from which he has fled. Now I assume of course that you do not wish to unnecessarily afflict this poor fellow, still less to grieve Mrs. Eastman. All that you wish is to be rid of the unfortunate consequences which his escape is likely to entail upon you in New Orleans. Is not that the case?”
Mr. Atkins stared at the wall with an uneasy look, and twiddled his thumbs.
“Something of that sort, Mr. Harrington, something of that sort,” he nervously replied.
“Exactly,” returned Harrington. “Now I take the liberty to suggest that this matter can be readily arranged to the satisfaction of all parties, and every unpleasant consequence be avoided. I am commissioned to say that the value of this man, and even twice or three times his value, will be paid to his owner. It will be easy for you to state this in a card in the New Orleans papers, and also to state the circumstances under which he got to Boston in your vessel. Everybody will see at once that you and your captain were not at all responsible for his escape, and this frank statement, conjoined with your avowed willingness to reimburse the owner for his loss, will not only free you from all suspicion of complicity in his flight, but will raise your credit as an honorable man in New Orleans, and also with the conservative portion of the community at the North. Besides, this compromise will spare your sister and niece the real distress they will feel if the man is returned, and this I think you will be willing to do if you can in justice to all other parties concerned. This arrangement will not only cost you nothing, but benefit you materially, besides satisfying every person involved in the matter. Now, candidly, is not this a fair and reasonable proposition?”