Eastern times. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1846-1857, 1851-06-26
VOL. vi.

however high, on which You can lend me even
the most trlfiing sum, fur which | myself alone
need be responsibler m .... -.,., r.,
None, replied the usurer, already COM
mencng his letter. .'.l ............
"A. will give thirty per cent? ..r
| impossible t.,..-, ..
Fifty ..., ....,..'. ..f..,
The usurer shook his head impatiently.
"A hundred-cent. per cent g
| 'No!'
The strange seeker of loans at length rose
TO depart. He reached the door. Suddenly
he lurned back, his eyes blazing with the SOM
bre radiance of despair. He slrode up 10 the
table, and planted himself, with folded arms,
immediately In front of the usurer.
Mark me said West, in a tone of deep,
suppressed passion, like the hollow murmur OF
the sea before storm. 1t is a question OF
Life or death with me TO get money before sun
set. Lend me ouly twenty pounds, aud within
| twelve months, will repay YOU one hundred.
| will give you every power which the law
can give one man over another, and will
| pledge my honor, which never yet was ques-
toned, 10 the bargain ..
| The usurer almost smiled, so strangely sar-
castle was the contraction OF his features as he
! listened to these words. . s..
Il do not question your honor, he said icily,
.but honor has nothing 10 do with business
As for the law, there is an old axiom which
says, Out of nothing, nothing comes ...
Bernard West regarded the cold rocky face
! and the passlonless mouth from which these
| words proceeded, with that singing wrath a
man feels who has Inundated himself in vain.
Nevertheless he cluug 10 the old fiiuiy usurer
as to the last rock in deluge, and a sense of
savage recklessuess came over him when he
advanced yet closer 10 the living cash-box be-
fore him, whilst the latter shrank half terrified
before the burning gaze of his visitor dllated
pupils.
Laying his hand upon the money-lender's
shoulder by gesture of terrible familiarity
that insisted upon and commanded attention 10
his word, West spoke with sudden clearness
and even musical dislinclness of uilerance that
made his words vet more appalling in their
solemn despalr-'Old man, am desperate;
am ruined. 1t is but few months since my
father died, leaving me not only pennless, but
encircled by petty obligations which have
cramped every movement | would have made.
| have no time, no quiet, 10 make an effort
such as my position requires. Tnls day have
spent my las' shilling. | am too proud 10 beg
and 10 borrow is TO beg, when man is known
to be in real distress. Within one hour from
this time shall be beyond all The fortunes of a
life which for my own sake care lllle 10 pre-
serve. And YET ! have spent my youth mac
cumulating treasures, which hut brief space
might have rendered productive of benefit To
man, and of ptoiit to myself My father lit
tie means and my own have vanished in the
pursuit Of science, aud in the guilt of suffering
more immediate than our own. If die alsu,
with me perish the results of his experiments,
his studies, and his sacrifices. There are
meuts when all Ordinary calculations and pru-
dence empty bubbles. Life is the only
real possesslon we have, and death is the only
certainty. Listen | will make one las, pro-
posa 10 you. Lend me but ten pounds-lhat
is but ten weeks Of llie-and swear TO you
that if live, will repay you Tor each pound
lent, not ten or twenty, but one hundred-ln
all, one thousand pounds, Grant that it be
but chance upon the one hand, vel upon The
other, how small is the risk and then, to save
a human lie--is not that something in the
scale . Aud the stranger laughed at these
last woris with a biter gayety which caused
a strange thrill TO creep along the nerves OF the
usurer.
However, the lender of gold shrugged his
shoulders without rela king his habliual mpas-
stability of manner. He did not speak. Pos
sibly the idea occurred 10 him that his strange
client medltated some act of violence upon
himself or his strong box. But this idea
speedily vanished, as the stranger, relapslug
suddenly into silence and Conventional beha-
vlur. removed his hand from the usurer shout
der, and strobe rapidly but calmly from the
apartment.
The door closed behind the ruined man, and
the usurer drew long breath, whilst his
bushy brows were contracted IN sort of agony
OF doubt and irresoluie purpose.
Meanwhile Bernard West paused for an in
stant uu the threshold OF The outer door, as it
undecided which road To lake. In truth all
roads were much alike to him a, that moment.
Some cause, too subtle to be selZed by the
mental analyst, determined his course He
turned 10 the right, and strobe rapidly onwards.
He felt already like one of the dead, to join
whom he was hnrrying headlong. He looked
neither to the right nor to the left; and before
him was mist, in which the phantoms of his
Imagination dlsported themselves, 10 the ex-
clusion of all other visible objects Nothing
earthly had any further interest for him. He
did not even hear the steps of some one run
ung behind him, nor hear the voice which
called alter him 10 stnp; but his course was
soon more eifectuallv arrested by the firm grasp
of mans hand, which seized MIN by the arm
with the force and tenaclly Of vice.
He turned 6ercely round He was in no
hunor for the converse of casual acquaint-
ances. Nor was il any gay convIyIalist Of
happier days whose face now greeted him !;
il was the old oney-leader, who, in a voice
.,ii3sky with loss OF breath, or possibly emo.
ton, said, ,hurs,ing couple OF twenty pound
bank notes luio Vests hand -
Here! take these notes. Take them,
say! he repeated, ns the young man, dizzy
with amazement, stammrred OUT .
You except, then, my lerms?
No : growled the uSurer. gice them TO
to you. DO you understand me ? say
sire them 10 you. am an old man; l never
gave away a shilling before in my life !!
Repay me ifyou will, when and how il please
you. have no securily-I ask no acknowl-
eigmenI 1 want none. do not coun, upon
It. IL IS gomez aud thu usurer pronounced The
last words with an effort that was heroic.
from the evident seif-masterv il cost him.-
There go-go p he resumed, aud take an
old mans advIce-Make money at all haz.
ards, and never lend except upon good secu.
rity. Remember that J. The old MAJ.
pushed West away, and all hairless aud
slippered as he was, ran rnuttering 10 his
den, leaving the Object OF his mysterious
generosity fixed like statue of anazemeut
in the centre Of the p.vemen. A
About three months had elapsed, when
Bernard West once more Knocked al the
the door of the money slender.