There was ushered into the apartment where the family was sitting a very tall thin man, in a long single-breasted drab coat of the finest cloth that was ever woven, and wearing a hat which in its shape and expression so sympathised with the wearer’s look, that the hat and the head seemed made for each other. The visitor stalked directly and undeviatingly up to the elder Markham, took hold of the poor man’s hand, squeezed it very hard, and shook it very violently; and after performing this ceremony in total silence, and with most unperturbable steadiness of look, he then spoke with a shrill nasal twang, at the very top of his voice; “Neighbour Markham, I am sorry to see thee.”
This unusually loud noise and strange-sounding voice was quite a relief to the party, who had that morning held intercourse with each other only in low murmurings and subdued and sorrowful tones. To such a greeting, on such an occasion, Mr. Markham felt it difficult to reply. He only shook his head, and said, “I am sorry to see you, sir.”
Thereupon the man in drab, who had taken a seat by the side of poor Mr. Markham, and had crossed his extended legs and clasped his long fingers, leaving only his thumbs at liberty to move, screwed up his lips as tight as a miser’s purse, and, as if economical of words, uttered through the nose a sound which no vowels or consonants in any European alphabet are competent to express, either severally or conjointly. As it oftentimes occurs that words are used when no meaning is conveyed, so does it on the other hand sometimes happen that much meaning is conveyed when no words are uttered. Thus it was on the occasion to which we now allude. Mr. Markham was familiar with the above-named unwriteable sound; and he knew that it indicated in the mind of him, through whose nose it passed, a feeling of compassion and a promise of kindness.
Turning to Mrs. Markham, the visitor said, “Mary Markham, this is thy son, probably.” On this, Horatio Markham took occasion to speak to the creditor, and began by saying,
“I am very much concerned, sir, for the unpleasant situation in which my father is now placed; but I believe we shall be able to surmount the difficulty, if not immediately, at least in a very short time.”
“Do thee, indeed?” said the Quaker; and without making more reply, or vouchsafing to the young gentleman any farther attention, he directed himself again to the elder Markham, and said to him, “Thy son is a promising young man.”
“I have reason, Mr. Wiggins, to be very well pleased with my son; he is indeed a blessing to us.”
“Neighbour Markham, my name is Wiggins; but my name is not Mister. But let us proceed to business; for to that intent I came hither.”
Thereupon the creditor thrust his long arm into a deep side-pocket, and extracted therefrom a long black letter-case, and from that letter-case he drew out the letter which he had received from Mr. Markham.