Page:Sylvester Sound the Somnambulist (1844).djvu/308

"Very good. That's settled. Let the affair go on. I shall hear from you in the course of the day?"

"You shall."

"No one shall ever know from me how I obtained the information, nor from whom."

"I depend, of course, upon your secresy."

"You may do so with confidence. Until this matter has been satisfactorily cleared up, I would not have Julian fall for the world. Fix any time you like, but let me know."

"That there may be no mistake, I will see you myself."

"That's better! Now, mind, I depend upon you."

"And I depend upon you: for I would not, on any account, have that young man injured."

Mr. Scholefield then left, and as he felt that the contemplated meeting would be harmless, his mind was more at ease, although he was still apprehensive that the consequences to Sylvester would be, in a professional point of view, ruinous. Hoping, however, that these consequences might yet be averted, he hastened home, but before he arrived, Sylvester—whose anxiety had so much increased, that he found it impossible to remain there alone—had left, with the view of calling upon Tom, having previously written a note to Mr. Scholefield, stating where he was to be found.

At this period, Tom was in practice for himself; and that practice, moreover, was extensive: for, notwithstanding he had the same peculiarity of pronunciation as before, he had a high reputation for skill—a reputation which he had, by the legitimate exercise of his talents, acquired, and which experience and constant study enabled him to sustain.

"What's the batter?" he exclaimed, as Sylvester entered his library; "why are you thus excited? Has adythidg very bobedtous occurred?"

"Yes," replied Sylvester; "I have been drawn into a mess."

"A bess! Well, well, sit dowd add be calb; add let's see if we cad't draw you out of it. Dow thed, what is it's dature?"

"You know Sir Charles Julian?"

"Yes."

"He declares that he saw me leave his house about three o'clock this morning."

"Well."

"And his butler declares—and is, moreover, prepared to swear—that he saw me at that hour absolutely coming from Lady Julian's chamber!"

"I say, old fellow," said Tom, shaking his head, significantly; "a bedical bad, too!—a bedical bad!"

"But it was not me whom they saw!"

"It was dot?"

"No: upon my honour!"

"That's a blessidg. Where were you at that tibe?"

"In bed."

"Cad you prove that you were?"