the legal profession numbers among its disciples a large class of honorable and high-minded men; and it also includes some needy adventurers well versed in the arts of pettifogging and chicanery, and willing, for a consideration, to throw over the most discreditable proceedings the mantle of the law, thus perverting, to the injury of the public, that which was intended for its principal safeguard.
of this latter class was richard sharp, banister, whose name might have been read on the door of an exceedingly dirty little office not far from wall street. being under the necessity of introducing my reader to some acquaintances and localities not altogether desirable i must trouble him to enter mr. sharp’s office.
in the centre of the office stands a table covered with green baize. scattered over it are diverse bundles tied with red tape, evidently intended to give the unsophisticated visitor the impression that mr. sharp’s business is in a most flourishing condition. nevertheless, since the novelist is permitted to see farther into the shams which he describes than is accorded to others less privileged, it may be remarked that these identical bundles have lain upon the table with no other alteration than an occasional change of arrangement, ever since the office was opened.
the enterprising proprietor of the bundles aforesaid is smoking a cigar, while reading the morning herald, and occasionally glancing out of the window near by. his features 34would hardly justify the description of “beauty in repose,” being deeply pitted with smallpox, which is not usually thought to improve the appearance. his nose is large and spreading at the base. his hair is deeply, darkly, beautifully red, bristling like a cat’s fur when accidentally rubbed the wrong way. add to these a long, scraggy neck, and the reader has a tolerable idea of mr. sharp as he sat in his office on the first day of october, 18—.
how long he would have sat thus, if uninterrupted, is uncertain. his meditations were broken in upon by a quick, imperative knock at the door. the effect upon mr. sharp was electrical. he sprang from his seat, tossed his cigar away, wheeled his chair round to the table, and drawing a blank legal form towards him, knit his brows and began to write as if life and death depended upon his haste. meanwhile the visitor became impatient and rapped again, this time more imperatively.
“come in,” called mr. sharp, in a deep bass voice, not raising his eyes from the paper on which his pen was now scratching furiously. “take a seat; shall be at leisure in a moment,—full of business, you know,—can’t get a moment’s rest.”
when at length he found time to look up, he met the gaze of our recent acquaintance, lewis rand. the latter, who had penetration enough to see through the lawyer’s artifice, smiled a little derisively.
“it must be a satisfaction to you,” he said, rather dryly, “to find your services in such request.”
“why, yes, ahem! yes,” said the lawyer, passing his fingers through his bristling locks. “it is a satisfaction as you say, though i confess,” he continued, with a dashing effrontery quite refreshing to contemplate, “that sometimes when my labors are protracted far into the night, i feel that 35business has its pains as well as pleasures, and cannot help wishing that——”
“that you had a partner to relieve you of a portion of your toils, you doubtless mean to say,” interrupted lewis, with a quizzical smile; for he was quite aware that mr. sharp meant no such thing. “in that case i know the very man for you; a young man just entered at the bar, very promising, and bidding fair to distinguish himself in his profession. i should be happy to serve both you and him. when shall i introduce him?”
“why,” said sharp, in some embarrassment, for he knew to his cost that his business was quite too limited to support himself, much less a partner. “why, you see, although my business is, as i said, very driving, i do not at present think of taking a partner. the fact is, i never enjoy myself more than when i am hard at work. it is an idiosyncrasy of mine, if i may so express myself.”
and mr. sharp looked up, thinking he had made a very clever evasion.
“when i do conclude to take a partner, which the increase of my business may at some time render absolutely necessary,” he added, graciously inclining his head, “i will certainly think of your friend. your recommendation will be a sufficient guarantee of his ability.”
“i feel deeply indebted to you for the confidence you express in my judgment,” said lewis, bowing, “particularly as i am a perfect stranger to you. such instances are rarely met with in a world like ours.”
mr. sharp was not quite sure whether his visitor was not secretly bantering him. he thought it best, however, to construe his meaning literally.
“i am not usually hasty in bestowing my confidence, mr.—your name escaped me.”
“i think i have not mentioned it.”
36“o ho, ahem! perhaps not,” continued mr. sharp, finding his little artifice to obtain his visitor’s name ineffectual, “but as i was about to say, i seldom give my confidence without good reason. i am—i may say—somewhat skilled in physiognomy, and a cursory examination of the features is sufficient, in ordinary cases, to enable me to form an opinion of a person.”
mr. sharp was fertile in expedients, and had an abundant share of self-possession.
“perhaps we had better proceed to business,” said lewis, abruptly.
“oh, by all means, sir, by all means?” returned mr. sharp, assuming a brisk tone at the prospect of a client. “as i before remarked, i never feel more completely in my element than when immersed in business. it is an——”
“if you will give me your attention for a few minutes,” pursued lewis, unceremoniously interrupting him, “i will endeavor to explain the nature of the service i require.”
mr. sharp bent forward, and assumed an attitude of the most earnest attention. he nodded slightly, and screwed up his eyes, as if to intimate that he was about to concentrate all his mental energies upon the matter in hand.
“you must know,” said lewis, slowly, “that there are two persons living in this city whose presence, in what way it is needless to specify, conflict very seriously with my interests. it is my wish to bring some motive to bear upon them which shall lead to their departure from the city.”
“i understand,” nodded mr. sharp, with an air of profound wisdom. “go on, my good sir.”
“one difficulty, however, meets me at the outset,” continued lewis; “i do not know in what part of the city the two persons——”
“aforesaid,” prompted mr. sharp, nodding sagaciously.
37“live,” concluded lewis, not heeding the interpolation; “nor have i any definite clew by which to find them.”
“can you describe these persons to me so that i may be able to identify them?”
“that is not easy, since one of them i have never seen but once, and the other but once in fifteen years.”
mr. sharp looked a little puzzled.
“i can, however, tell you this much. one is a man of about forty, who appears somewhat older. the other, his daughter, is a girl of fourteen, or thereabouts. the former is a little absent in manner, or was formerly so; the little girl, i should judge, is attractive in her personal appearance.”
“when did you last meet them?” inquired the lawyer.
“one evening last week.”
“and where?”
“they were then leaning against the railing on the west side of the park.”
“can you tell at what hour?”
“about six.”
“then it is quite possible that they may be found at the same place some evening, at or near this hour. very probably they are in the habit of taking a walk at that time and in that direction. we are all creatures of habit, and are apt to stick to the ruts we have made. have you no other clew by which i may be guided? it is quite likely that there are others to whom the description you have given will apply. when you saw them, in what manner were they dressed?”
“i had but a brief glimpse, and do not feel altogether sure. the father is as tall as yourself. i can tell you the girl’s name also; it is helen.”
“and her father’s?”
“i could tell you his real name, but as i have every reason to believe that he has dropped it and assumed another, it 38will, perhaps, be unnecessary. his christian name is robert.”
“the first step, then,” said mr. sharp, reflectively, “is, of course, to find these persons. this will be a matter of some difficulty, and may require considerable time. i do not doubt, however, that i shall ultimately be able to accomplish it. may i inquire whether they are in good circumstances pecuniarily?”
“probably not. i presume their means are quite limited.”
“so much the better.”
“for what reason?” inquired lewis, in some curiosity.
“simply this. you tell me you are desirous of removing them from the city; if they are poor it will be much easier to offer an inducement likely to weigh with them, than if they were in prosperous circumstances.”
“there is something in that, i admit, but if robert is as proud as he used to be in days gone by, such an attempt would avail but little. however, there is no occasion to consider what further steps are to be taken, till we have actually found them. that must be our first care.”
“in that i shall endeavor to serve you. how and where shall i communicate with you?”
“i shall call upon you frequently. there may, however, be occasions when it will be needful to communicate with me without delay. in such an event, a note directed to l. thornton, box 1228, will reach me.”
mr. sharp noted this address on a slip of paper, and bowed his client out.
there will of course be no difficulty in divining why lewis considered it detrimental to his interests that helen and her father should remain in the city. he was in constant alarm lest some accident should bring together the father and son, who had for so long a time been separated 39from each other. he was playing for a large stake, and was not fastidious as to the means employed, provided they insured his success. his visit to the copyist, and the bold forgery perpetrated with his assistance, afforded sufficient evidence of this. he was disposed, however, to use very prudent precaution. why he was induced to call in the co-operation of a needy, and well nigh briefless lawyer like mr. sharp, may be gathered from the soliloquy in which he indulged on leaving the office of the worthy attorney.
“there’s a great deal of humbug about that fellow,” he said to himself, “but he is quick-witted and unscrupulous—two qualities which adapt him to my service. again, he is poor, and not overburdened with business, so that he will be the more likely to attach himself to my interests. things seem to be in a fair train. it is fortunate that my cousin does not know of his father’s removal to this city; he doubtless imagines him a hundred miles away. it is indispensable that i should not show myself in this business, but leave everything to sharp. when the property is mine, i can bid my cousin defiance.”
the wily nephew hastened to the bedside of his uncle, where, with feigned solicitude, he inquired after his health. it is well for our happiness that we cannot always read the hearts of those about us. how hollow and empty would then seem some of the courtesies of life!
