`I don't know what it may be, I don't know what it may not be,' said Newman; `it's some secret in which your uncle is concerned, but what, I've not yet been able to discover, although I have my strong suspicions. I'll not hint 'em now, in case you should be disappointed.'
` I disappointed!' cried Nicholas; `am I interested?'
`I think you are,' replied Newman. `I have a crotchet in my head that it must be so. I have found out a man, who plainly knows more than he cares to tell at once. And he has already dropped such hints to me as puzzle me--I say, as puzzle me,' said Newman, scratching his red nose into a state of violent inflammation, and staring at Nicholas with all his might and main meanwhile.
Admiring what could have wound his friend up to such a pitch of mystery, Nicholas endeavoured, by a series of questions, to elucidate the cause;but in vain. Newman could not be drawn into any more explicit statement than a repetition of the perplexities he had already thrown out, and a confused oration, showing, How it was necessary to use the utmost caution;how the lynx-eyed Ralph had already seen him in company with his unknown correspondent; and how he had baffled the said Ralph by extreme guardedness of manner and ingenuity of speech: having prepared himself for such a contingency from the first.
Remembering his companion's propensity,--of which his nose, indeed, perpetually warned all beholders like a beacon,--Nicholas had drawn him into a sequestered tavern. Here, they fell to reviewing the origin and progress of their acquaintance, as men sometimes do, and tracing out the little events by which it was most strongly marked, came at last to Miss Cecilia Bobster.
`And that reminds me,' said Newman, `that you never told me the young lady's real name.'
`Madeline!' said Nicholas.
`Madeline!' cried Newman. `What Madeline? Her other name--say her other name.'
`Bray,' said Nicholas, in great astonishment.
`It's the same!' cried Newman. `Sad story! Can you stand idly by, and let that unnatural marriage take place without one attempt to save her?'
`What do you mean?' exclaimed Nicholas, starting up; `marriage! are you mad?'
`Are you? is she? are you blind, deaf, senseless, dead?' said Newman.
`Do you know that within one day, by means of your uncle Ralph, she will be married to a man as bad as he, and worse, if worse there is? Do you know that, within one day, she will be sacrificed, as sure as you stand there alive, to a hoary wretch--a devil born and bred, and grey in devils'
ways?'
`Be careful what you say,' replied Nicholas. `For Heaven's sake be careful!
I am left here alone, and those who could stretch out a hand to rescue her are far away. What is it that you mean?'
`I never heard her name,' said Newman, choking with his energy. `Why didn't you tell me? How was I to know? We might, at least, have had some time to think!'
`What is it that you mean?' cried Nicholas.
It was not an easy task to arrive at this information; but, after a great quantity of extraordinary pantomime, which in no way assisted it, Nicholas, who was almost as wild as Newman Noggs himself, forced the latter down upon his seat and held him down until he began his tale.
Rage, astonishment, indignation, and a storm of passions, rushed through the listener's heart, as the plot was laid bare. He no sooner understood it all, than with a face of ashy paleness, and trembling in every limb, he darted from the house.
`Stop him!' cried Newman, bolting out in pursuit. `He'll be doing something desperate--he'll murder somebody--hallo! there, stop him. Stop thief! stop thief!'