The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1823-10-31


, been attracted IL u person nho although
lnat " hat AIR Nnpdsnorth would call 4
" nnii,rahIe man" IA himself, Vet by tn.
| force of circumstances, and tl,.crowds con
tt,uallv COLI, ing about hun, seemed ~ an
extraordinary degree 10 elicit attention.
Win u person., that, from sn,"nl1nrs' ri
attire aud general negligence, might BE- cal
led mean. he seemed +" the observed OF all
| observers" With one hand thrust ncall-
gently ito the pocket Of his great coat, thai
was npgligently thrown on. he was leaning
against TN. column at my right Sometimes
liclining IN this side In person that would
whisper in his ear, and anon Shopping 10
the other, when any body touched him on
the arm 10 arrest his regard. Now he
would stand. or rather incline IN bendlng
postum. with his right l.g resting On the
base of the pillar, rs II he was listening 10
something going on within lis shift, but on
stepping a little back, could discern that
somebody WAS OH the other side speaking
10 him IN an under tone. One moment he
would have five or six people around him
ut once, 10 all of whom, IN rapid sseees5ion,
the token of n nod, or n smlle, ar shrug,
or psl,aw ~ would be sufficient, Tor
they dispersed again as soon NJ his lncl'ha
tinn was ee,nced. Sometimes person
would twitch him on the collar Of hls coat
behind, while another plneked his button
hole before aud il seemed, too, that he
was artually weighing the two separate ar-
pcals of his mind nj once, while from under
the shadow Of broad bimmcd hat, his
restless AND rowing eye was taking ~ The
whole of the assembled multitude before
| him. He WAS not, ds Butler hath II ~ the
character Of the busy man--" like me that
lalors in every mans calling but his own
and like Robin Goodfrilow, does any mans
drudgrry tllat will let him y for il seemed
his particular business Ia refuse aud reject.
Fl the pillar against which he leaned,
slo,enlv, careless. cUHrse, as II might seem
in his manners, with his hat slou'htd over
hts eyes, and the right leg Of hts trousers
pushed up and rampled over his boot, he
seemed IL be like the centre of system
lirexplicable, unaecouutablc, myste,,ous.-
Several persons about nv looked ii him M
if with awe aud apprehension some from
apparent curiosity /; while others came up
as ! have before remarked, aud addressed
him in uhisperings abrupt and hasly
slatches of ialk-cAbalistic sentences aud
words To which could allix no meaning in
the impelfec, glimpse of the sense and
sounds hastily uttered, 10 which the only
reply was a sInug or II shake of the head.
Once thought that had been mistaken,
aud that had from ignorance Of the ways
oi the Exchange, given man more lmp"f.
lance individually, than the nature Of thugs
allowed and that, III spot devoted par.
ticnliIly To IA concentration Of the CONNER
ci1l interests of the kingdom, nj II certain
hour every day, one man might by chance
have more than his usual lot III the world s
regards bestowed upon him-=bnt yet, Why
all this mystery, tins whispering, tins
d" quick presto, change brsone !" mode oi
dealing this instantaneous nour'shmg oi
opinion, which seemed 10 have for It's re-
suits the communication of an Invisible
gtncy; thr diffusion of secret lntelll-
pcncs, sudden as an electric shock all over
the place looked again 10 src il there
were any traces Of nobility IN tins man
counicnance any lofty aud retiring CON
scionsness of IA "prid' Of place" in the He.
raids College ; any regalty Of wealth in
his brow, which might give stamp and
authority 10 that carriage of indifference hr
assumed, tn the quality, al lest Of those
who continually cn,lronc,l him but !
could recognize nothing. There Was no
thug III his plIysIognomy 10 satisfy any
mind. Compared with come nf the m"r-
chants, or The captains of vessels, Who oc-
casoually pressed near me through the
throng OF bodies aud the murlnur Of voices
in all The dialects of the earth, he did not
bear his posi- so lordiy, nor his eye So tnan-
merry. The batter was distinguished Ivy II
restless and anXinus notion quick alter
alton of lis rcgards--a nnctnatnlg and IN.
settled glance al distant objects, even Willie
lis attention seemed 10 be momentarily
absorbed by apeIson whispering in his ear.
lie would aUuCtincs, at the very instant oil
helnE addressed by one, step ASIDE To ano-
t'ler, even before the first had finished his
sentencc then fly buck again, incline his
rar-his eye still CHANGING hurrledly around
listen for moment, tuu up his nose and
upper lip with peculiar expression, sort
of plsl y and tsirlnng around abruptly
upon his heel, steps mp Ia his lasorit. pillar
aSaIn.-lt Wds sort of fantoccinl exhibi-
ton "A pantomlnical expression of dc-
tioa where little was SAID, but the meaning
going far beyond the shallow reach of
words. In my ignorance of these things, |
b"gan To feel impatient. wished for my
friend, who had left me for a short time, TO
resolve my doubts. s. In the name oi God
said unconscousIy) who is here %
Tut is Rolhschild,' replied my friend
who had been standing at my elbow for
some moments, enjoying my peplexity,
" the great money broker OF the Ex-
change"
4" turned round again insolun'arily on
hearing this. Was II possible ? That the
man " hose dealings "-re " i'm governments
and princes, aud nations That The con.
tractor for millions, the creditor of crowned
heads, the subject of CrGsus Him ia