The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-12-20
CHRISTMAS STORY
NO TH0ROUGHFARE E.
CHARLES DICKENS AND WILKIE COLLINS


euch "A rem0tkdOle nelEuI, tuNl MS new pdANhEL
could not decently make pretense Oh letting IL
mass unnoticCd
"Wlidlne,r he asked hurriedly, and yet stop
ping snort and plancng around as If Tor some
visible cause of his state OF mind, what is the
INV good George Vendale, =" returned the wine
merchant, giving his hand with an appealing
look rather as If be wanted help to get over
some obstacle, than as If he gave it in welcome
or salutatlcn my good George Vendale, so
much is the matter, that | snail never be myself
again. Ii is impossible that can ever be my
self again. For, in TACT, | am not myself"
The new partner brOWncheeked handsome
fellow, of about his own age, with quick de-
teImined eye and an impulsive manner, re-
tored with natural asionishment, "Not your
seltW
''Not what I supposed myself to be-" said
Wildmg.
"What, in the name Of wonder, did you sup
pose yourself TO be that you are not?" was the
rejonder, delivered with Il cheerful frankuess,
inviting confidence from a more retICent man.
81 may ask without impertnence, now that we
are partners
'Tbere again!" cried Wildiug, leaning back
In his chair, with a lost look at the other.
"Partners l had no right to come INTO this
business. 1t was never meant tor me. My
mother never meant II should be mine. mean
his mother meant it should be his, if l mean
any thing, or II | am anybody"
"Come, come" urged MS partner, after a
moments pause, and taking possession of MIN
with that calm condolences which inspires a
strong nature when 1t honestly desires to aid a
weak one. "WhaLeyer has gone wrong has gone
wrong through no lault OF yours, | am very
sure. | was not IN thus counting house with
you under the old Teginle for three years, TO
doubt you, Widmg We were not younger
men tnan. we are, together, Tor all that. Let me
begin our partnership by being serYlCeaDle
partner, and sc ting right whatever IS wrong.
Has that letter anything 70 do with It ~
'Hauw SAID Wadng, with his hand to his
temple. "There again My head! / was for
getting the coincidence. The SWISS pOstmark.n
''AC second glance l see that tbe letter is
unopened, so 1t is not very likely to have much
to 40 win the matter,n said Vendale with COM
forting COmposure. ''IS IL tor you or for us ~
'FUI u.s. SAID Widng.
suppose open 1t aud read it aloud, to get it
out OF our way y
"ThanK you, thank you"
heletter is only from our champagne-making
friends, the House at NeucnaLel. Dear SIR
We are in receipt OF yours OF the 18th ult., in-
forming us that YOU nave taken your Nc. Ven-
dale into partnership, whereon we beg you to
receive the assurance OF o. our fehCIlatIons.
Permit us 10 embrace the occasion OF specially
commencing 10 you NJ. Jules Oben1eizer.' I'M
posslbleW
Nldng locked up IN quick apprehension, and
cried, ''khY'
'Imposslble sort of name" returned his part
ner, ,shghtly-"OoenreIzer or specially COM
mt nd ng 10 you Nj. Jules OseDrelZer, of soho
square, LOndUn (Uorth sloe), henceforth fully
accredited as our agent, and who has already
had the honor OF making the acquaintance OF
your MIR. Veudale in his tsaId NJ. ObenreIZer's)
pooh what have | been Tn nkng OF! | remem-
Der, now when travelling with his niece
with his -P Vendae had so slurred the
last word that Wilding mad not heard It,
"When travelling with his Niece. Obeurei-
Zer's Niece" said Vendale, IN a somewhat super
huously lucid manner. Niece OF Obenrelzer.
Il met th,m IN my irst Swiss tour, travelled a
httle with them, and lost them for two years;
met them again, my SWISS tour before last, and
have lost them ever snce.) Obenrezer. Niece
OF obenrelzer.. 10 be sure! Possible sort of
name, after all! M. ObenreIzer Is in possession
ol our absolute confidence and we do not doubt
you will esteem his merits.' Duly signed by the
House, Delresnler et Cle.' Very we'll. l under.
take to see N. O0enrelzer presently, and clear
him out OF the way. That clears the swiss post
mark out OF the way. So now, my dear Wllding,
tell NE what L can clear out of yeur way, and
I'll and a way TO clear it.n
More than ready and grateful to be thus taken
charge Of the honest wine merchant Wrung hi:
partners hand, and beginning his tale by
patheucally declaring himself an lmpostor
lit was on this matter, no doubt, that yor
were sending for Bntrey when came In 2" said
his partner, after rejecting.
at Was.n
she has experience and shrewd head;
shall be anxious to know his opinion. 1t is boll
and hazardous IN me to give you mine before
know his, but am not go)d ~ holding back
Plainly, then, l do not see these circumstance
as you see them. 1 do not see your position q
you see 1t. AS TO your being an lmpostoT
my dear WIlding, tnat is simply absurd, becaus
no man can De mat without Oelug consentn
party to an imposition. Clearly you never wer
so. As 10 your enrichment by the lady who be
heyed you to be her son, and whom YOU Wer
forced 10 believe, on her own sho wing 10 b
your mother consider whether that did no
arise out OF the personal relations between YOU
You gradually became much attached to her
she gradually became much attached to YOU
II was on you, personally you, as see the case
that she conferred these worldly advantages
1t was from her, her personally, that you tool
them"
"She supposed me-" objected Wilding, shakin
his head, 30 have natural claIm upon her
which had not.n
IL must admit that" replied his partner, ct
be true. But il she made the discovery tina
you have made, six months before she died d
you thnk it would have cancelled the year
you were together, and the tenderness that eac
OF you hao conceived for the oLher-each o
increasing knowledge of the other ?n
What think" SAID Wilding. simply bu
sIoutly holding to the bare ac', "can no NOR
change the ruth than 1t can bring dow th
AS. me truth 10 that / stand possessed @
"naS nay was meant for another man,
.He .ie may may pc dead said Yendale.
:. re may De ahye,h SAID Wlldlng. "Apd II h
Is awe, have 1 not-innocettlV / Grant vo1 in
nUcShHy Hy-loooed HIM OF enough? Have I nC
iOuuc" n hln 81 hl the happy time that / eniove
ita III nis nave mot robbed him of the e,
qulsl'e uViishl mat 6led nv sonl Uhey, ths
dear lady" stretching his hand to1rd Ia vi, tL
picture, "told me she was NV motSarS 10 ,,a w
not robbed HIM Of all the care shs Ia IIaF .
on me? Have not even fobbeA him of ali ~
Votlon and duty that l so proudly paye 10 ~ ho, u
Therefore II is that | ask myself Seorgoo W., W.,
dale, ana ak YOU where is he? What has d
come oil hrmN
"Who can tellln
''I must try to 6nd out who can tell. mn
institute inquiries. I must never desist fro
prosecuting inquiries. ! viii live upon I
interest of my share-I ought 70 say his share
in this business. aud VIII lay up the rtst