As some compensation for this second matrimonial disaster, Godfrey had soon afterwards found himself the object of fond pecuniary remembrance, on the part of one of his many admirers.A rich old lady--highly respected at the Mothers'-Small-Clothes-Conversion Society, and a great friend of Miss Clack's (to whom she had left nothing but a mourning ring)--had bequeathed to the admirable and meritorious Godfrey a legacy of five thousand pounds.
After receiving this handsome addition to his own modest pecuniary resources, he had been heard to say that he felt the necessity of getting a little respite from his charitable labours, and that his doctor prescribed `a run on the Continent, as likely to be productive of much future benefit to his health.' If I wanted to see him, it would be advisable to lose no time in paying my contemplated visit.
I went, then and there, to pay my visit.
The same fatality which had made me just one day too late in calling on Sergeant Cuff, made me again one day too late in calling on Godfrey.
He had left London, on the previous morning, by the tidal train, for Dover.
He was to cross to Ostend; and his servant believed he was going on to Brussels.The time of his return was rather uncertain; but I might be sure he would be away at least three months.
I went back to my lodgings a little depressed in spirits.Three of the guests at the birthday dinner--and those three all exceptionally intelligent people--were out of my reach, at the very time when it was most important to be able to communicate with them.My last hopes now rested on Betteredge, and on the friends of the late Lady Verinder whom I might still find living in the neighbourhood of Rachel's country house.
On this occasion, I travelled straight to Frizinghall--the town being now the central point in my field of inquiry.I arrived too late in the evening to be able to communicate with Betteredge.The next morning, Isent a messenger with a letter, requesting him to join me at the hotel, at his earliest convenience.
Having taken the precaution--partly to save time, partly to accommodate Betteredge--of sending my messenger in a fly, I had a reasonable prospect, if no delays occurred, of seeing the old man within less than two hours from the time when I had sent for him.During this interval, I arranged to employ myself in opening my contemplated inquiry, among the guests present at the birthday dinner who were personally known to me, and who were easily within my reach.These were my relatives, the Ablewhites, and Mr.Candy.
The doctor had expressed a special wish to see me, and the doctor lived in the next street.So to Mr.Candy I went first.
After what Betteredge had told me, I naturally anticipated finding traces in the doctor's face of the severe illness from which he had suffered.
But I was utterly unprepared for such a change as I saw in him when he entered the room and shook hands with me.His eyes were dim; his hair had turned completely grey; his face was wizen; his figure had shrunk.I looked at the once lively, rattlepated, humorous little doctor--associated in my remembrance with the perpetration of incorrigible social indiscretions and innumerable boyish jokes--and I saw nothing left of his former self, but the old tendency to vulgar smartness in his dress.The man was a wreck;but his clothes and his jewellery--in cruel mockery of the change in him--were as gay and as gaudy as ever.
`I have often thought of you, Mr.Blake,' he said; `and I am heartily glad to see you again at last.If there is anything I can do for you, pray command my services, sir--pray command my services!'
He said those few commonplace words with needless hurry and eagerness, and with a curiosity to know what had brought me to Yorkshire, which he was perfectly--I might say childishly--incapable of concealing from notice.
With the object that I had in view, I had of course foreseen the necessity of entering into some sort of personal explanation, before I could hope to interest people, mostly strangers to me, in doing their best to assist my inquiry.On the journey to Frizinghall I had arranged what my explanation was to be--and I seized the opportunity now offered to me of trying the effect of it on Mr.Candy.
`I was in Yorkshire, the other day, and I am in Yorkshire again now, on rather a romantic errand,' I said.`It is a matter, Mr.Candy, in which the late Lady Verinder's friends all took some interest.You remember the mysterious loss of the Indian Diamond, now nearly a year since? Circumstances have lately happened which lead to the hope that it may yet be found--and I am interesting myself, as one of the family, in recovering it.Among the obstacles in my way, there is the necessity of collecting again all the evidence which was discovered at the time, and more if possible.There are peculiarities in this case which make it desirable to revive my recollection of everything that happened in the house, on the evening of Miss Verinder's birthday.And I venture to appeal to her late mother's friends who were present on that occasion, to lend me the assistance of their memories--'
I had got as far as that in rehearsing my explanatory phrases, when I was suddenly checked by seeing plainly in Mr.Candy's face that my experiment on him was a total failure.