Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1866-08-31
III iattllaucu Ms.
The Dead Letter.
CHAPTER NJ.

"Come said my ciceronc," We are al
ready very late,
A rapi walk of few minutes brought
us to the entrance OF ii handsome housc.
having the appearance OF Il private resi-
dencc, and standing I'll fashionable street.
WHY said |, inclined to draw back, as
he asccndcd the stcps, Won surely would
not think Of disturbing the people here at
this hour of the uight' There is not Il light
to be seen, even in the cllambers.'
MrB Burtons low laugh made me blush
at my own @recnncSs. His ring at the bell
wasfollowrdhy aknock which was quick
wittcd enough, III spite of my verdancy. to
perceive something significant about it.
The door Immediately swung little open,
my friend SAID a few words which had the
effect to uueloSe the mysterious portals St!i
wider, and we entered Il modest hall.
which il single gas burner, half turned off.
dimlv Illuminated. The man. servant who
admitted lis was salle as ebony, muscular,
much above the medium size, dressed i'll a
plain livery. and with manners As polished
as his own shining Skin-an African Loop
ard, barring the spots, smooth and power
full.
is Basley still here' asked my compan-
ion
Yes sir. In de library, jus where you
lef' him.
Very well. You need not disturb him
I'VE brought my young friend III to intro
duce him to the house, i'll view of further
acquaintance.
The cbony man smiled respectfully.
bowlng for us to pass into the parlof. L
thought saw III that quiet smile lurking
ray of satisiaction-a g!oatnS as 1t were,
over my prospective intimacy at this re
spectacle house He had probably been ush
er to the inaelStrom long enough to know
that those whose feet We're once caught III
the slow, delightful waltz OF the cIrcIlnS
waters never withdrew them, after the cir-
Gle grew narrow and swift and the rush
of the whirlpool sounded up from the bot
tomless pit,
We entered 4 suit of rooms in no manner
differing from the parlors Ola private house.
| They were richly furnished aud well hgt-
ed. close nnerblnds, hidden by heavy silk
curtains. shutting III the light from the OBJ
scrvation of the street. There were three
rooms in this suit; the two first were now
deserted, though the olor of wine, and
scented hair and handkcrchiets, showed
they had been recently occupied In these
two the chandeliers were partially obscured,
but the third room was still brilliantly H.
Illuminated. We walked toward it. Mag
uifccnt curtains of amber silk depended
from the arch which separated it from the
parlors. Only one OF these curtains was
now drawn back, the others trailing on the
carpet, and closing the apartment from our
observation. Mr. Burton PLACED me in the
| shadow of the curtains, where could see,
myself unseen. The room was tulnlshe 1
as a library, two of its walls being covered
with hooks; | particularly noticed mar
bic bust of shakespear, very hhe' n sc
we're, yet liberal, taste marked the choice
and arrangement OF every thing. y pant
ing of Tasso reading his poems to the Prn-
cess, hung between the two hack windows.
Itwas well-arranged certainly; yet the
| four occupants were engroSsed III Il study
more iaelnatihg than that OF any oi the
books by which they were surronnded' 1t
Mcphstophilcs could have stepped from
his binding of blue and gold, and made the
acquaintance of the company, he would
have been charmed. Two couples sat at
two tables playing cards. All the other
visitors to the establishment had gone away
some of them to theft or suicide, perhaps,
save those four, who still fingered, wrap
ped in the dread cnchantment of the hour
The two at the table l first glanced at
were both strangers to me; at the second
| could not see the face of one OF the play
ors, whose back was toward me; but the
face of the other was directly III front Of
me, and under the full light of the chan
deler. This person was James Argyll
My astonishment was profound. That |
had never fraternized with him, | consld-
cred partly my own fault-there are per
sons So naturally antagonistic as to make
real friendship between them impossible
and had often blamed myself for our mu-
tual coldness' But with all my dislike for
some of his qualitcs-,s, for instnce his
indolent acceptance of his uncle's bounty.