The Republican journal., 1870-02-03
FAUNTLEROY, THE FORGER.
BY WILKIE COLLINS.

What | am going to tell you, gentlemen
happened when | was very young man
and when | was just setting up in busines
on my own account.
My father had been well acquainted 70
| many years with Mr.. Fauntleroy, of the ia
| nous London banking firm of Marsh, Stracey
Fauntleroy, and Graham. Thinking it nigh
| be of some future service to me to make m,
position known to a great man in the com
mercial world, my father mentioned to hi:
highly respected friend that l was about t.
start in business for myself in a very small
way, and with very little money. Mr.. Faunt
leroy received the information with kline
appearance of interest, and said that he
would have his eye on me. l expected from
this that he would wait to see if could KEEP
on my feet at starting, and that if he found
succeeded pretty ell he would then helI
me forward if it lay in his power As events
turned out, he proved to be q far better
friend than that, and he soon showed me
that l had very much underrated the hearty
and generous interest which he had felt in
my welfare from the first.
While | was still fighting with the diff
culties of setting up my office, and recon-
mcnding myself to connection, &c, | got q
message from Mr.. Fauntleroy telling me tc
call on him, at the banking house, the first
time / was passing that way. As you may
easily imagine, l contrived to be passing
that way on a particular early occasion, and
on presenting myself at the bank, | was
shown at once into Mr.. Fauntleroy's private
room.
He was as pleasant q man to speak to as
ever met with--bright, and gay, and com
panionable in his manner-with q sort OF
easy, hearty, jovial bluntness about him that
attracted everybody The clerks all liked
him-and that is something to say of a part
ner in banking house, can tell you!
"Well, young Towbridge." says he, giving
his papers on the table a brisk push away
from him, $50 you are going to set up in
business for yourself, are you? l have a
great regard for your father, and great
yet? No? Just on the point of beginning,
eh? Very good. You will have your diff
culties, my friend, and I mean to smooth
one of them away from you at the outset
A word of advice for your private ear. Bank
with u.s."
''You are very kind, SIR" l answered,
'and l should ask nothing better than to pro
fit by your suggestion, if could. But my
expenses are heavy at starting, and when
they are all paid | am afraid 1 shall have
very little left to put by for the first year.
doubt if | shall be able to muster much more
than three hundred pounds of surplus casl
in the world after paying what [ must pay
before | set up my office. and | should be
ashamed to trouble your house, sir, to opcr
an account for such tride as that,
"Stutf and nonsense!" says Mr. Fauntlc
roy. "Are you a banker? What business
have you to offer an opinion on the matter
Do as | tell you-leavc it to me-bank with
us-and draw for what you like. Stop !
haven't done yet. When you open the ac
count, speak to the head cashier. Perhaps
you will find that he has got something tc
tell you. There! there! 60 away-dont in
terrupt me-good-bye-God bless you ~
That was his way-ah poor fellow, that
was his way
/ went to the head cashier the next morn
ing when I opened my little modcum of ar
account He had received orders to pay my
drafts without reference to my balance. Nv
checks, whom | had overdrawn, were to be
privately shown to Mr.. Fauntleroy. Dc
many young men who start in business fine
their prosperous superiors ready to help them
in that way?
Well, got on-got on very fairly and
steadily, being careful not to forget that
small beginnings may lead in time to great
ends. A prospect of one of those great ends
great, [ mean, to such a small trader as
at that period-showed itself to me when |
had been some little time in business. In
plain terms, had chance of joining in q
tirst-rate connection, which would give me
profit and position, and everything | wanted,
provided l could qualify myself for engaging
in it by getting good security before and to a
large amount.
In this emergency, [ thought Of my kind
friend, Mr.. Fauntleroy, and went to the
bank, and saw him once more in his private
room.
There he was at the same table, with the
same heaps of papers about him, and the
same hearty, easy way of speaking his MIND
to you at once, in the fewest possible words
explained the business l came upon with
some little hesitation and nervousness, for
was afraid he might think 1 was taking an
unfair advantage OF his former business to
me. When l had done, he Just nodded his
head, snatched up blank sheet of paper,
scribbled few lines on it in his rapid way
handed the writing to me, and pushed me
out of the room by the two shoulders before
could say single word. | looked at the
paper in the outer office. 1t was my security
from that great banking house for the whole
amount, and for more, if more was wanted
could not express my gratitude then, and
don't know that l can describe it now
can only say that it has outlivcd the crime
the disgrace, and the awful death on the
scafold. I am grieved to speak of thai
death at all but have no other alternative
The course of my story must now lead me
straight on to the latter time, and to the ter
! rible discovery which exposed my benefactol
and my friend to all England as the forgel
Fauntleroy.
l must ask you to suppose lapse of some
time after the occurrence of the events that
| have just been relating. During this inter
val, thanks to the kind assistance I had re-
ceived at the outset my position as a man
business had greatly improved. Imagine
me now, if you please, on the high road tc
prosperity, with good large offices and re
spectacle staff of clerks, and picture me t.
yourselves sitting alone in my private room
between four and five o'clock on certain
Saturday afternoon.
All my letters had been written, all thu
people who had appointments with me ha(
been received. l was looking carelessl,
over the newspaper, and thinking about 60
ing home, when one of my clerks came in
and said that a stranger wished to see MI
Immediately on very important business.
"Did he mention his name?" enquired
| "No, sir"
''Did you ask him for it?"
Eyes, sir. And he said you would b.
none the wiser if he told mo what II was ,,