The Morning herald., 1877-09-27
CHAPTER xxx.
OLD DUCRoE THE UsURER.

SAi"H Fspfo t'iO Iiipl llS AlOIlcys 8uC
noru ed the stairs two steps at a time. !,
'"i"s any one been quiring after" "me''
he s,ed Of the maid.
"N4 one, sir" "'u.,S "' r"n7 T..
HE aemed relieved, drew long breath
then t7ked again, in a quicker tone, "And
the doctor?" ,I ,7...l ,'',' 'far'
"I}ocalled this morning." said the girl
"When you We're away, sir, and he looked
very grave indeed. He came back again
hall an hour ago, and he is still i4 mis-.
sus's noom." oe II '"@1 " ,."e
''"All iight-l'll see him. If any One
calls, show them into my study-here,s
the key-and call me directly" tg
in entering the sick room, Noel saw at
a GIanceI that no change for the better had
occurred during his absence. leni i",it i
II The sick woman, with close-shut eyes
and 'tonvulsed face, was lying on the bed
in mortal agony. One might have thought
her dead, were it not for the sudden
movements of the pale hands, and the
raising Of the counterpane from time to
time, as she moved herlimbs in pain. :
lie bent his head and whispered in a
trembling voice, "Well how is sheY" !;
.., ! tl6 N'btot s+looh AIS Aedu .WACn CQOT-
ougAly disbeartened look. uor ~ % ,
b. IL ,lnderstand your silence, Harvev,''
murmurea Eoel. "'Ihere's no. hope-is it
nOtaJ"' " .,''
''None from science. Still I don't dos
pair.p' .p'trf. .,,l h,a.,a.nhq !wo'u .nE E
.. What makes my heart ache is to see
her so utterly unconscious of all that is
taking place around her., Will she die
without recovering her reason7 Won't
she recognise me, nor speak to me7" ...r
. y can't say, This malady,, my poor
fellow,is one 'of those that may, at any 7
moment. utterly upset the rules laid down
for It. The symptoms are always varying,
aud the patient that,we pronounce nearly
out OF danger to-day, may be something
more than Af deaths door Tomorrow"
'"S1e mGy speak thenp ~ -ira +
every 1nobably.htH ,A''.h FL. "lr"'
''AnQ'-,--Noel hes 4itated-"with the full
pQk5o4ijQn Of her sellses" 70 ggt,oI'
"Perh@ps; but why do you ask me?'
Aud, Tor the first time, the doctor looked
his friend curiously in the face ''"' u =.
"BecauSe one word-but one, pro
nounced by her lips--would be Invaluable
TO me-" ~ u' '|
"Oh, you mean about your case9 Well,
as ragards that, can promise nothing.
loU have as many chances in your favor
as ar.,inst YOU. Only on no account quit
the house; keep close at hand. If her
reason returns, and it will be as the light
ming flash, profit by it whilst you have
time; tits tho advice Of q friend and doc
Sor. And now goodbye, for the present"
Aud, without waiting for reply, he seized
his hat and was gone. a.. .o"., JAN. /,
,.Gut there was no peace for Noel that
day. i, "I .t.', ,&t tit@n,s '"i,,i .''
He was Just returning to the sick-room,
wh4l the servant announced that gen
tleman--''a queer sort of gentleman, who
wouldn't give his name, was waiting fol
him in the study" ., .rn..nl, 0I
With d half-muttered curse, and a
glooply air, the batrister turned on his
heal, and proceeded to his private room.'
IEe "4ueer sort Of gentleman" des-
'piuel by the maid, met him at the door.
"At last you have come, Monsieur Du-
croe, You've been SO long about it, that /
gave you up altogether" 'i ~ =.
"iIa, hA! Better late than never-better
late than never" said his visitor, placing
his hat on chair. "rhat's my motto,
sir; that's my motto"
Noel muttered something that didn't |
sound complimentary. w.
! I've called at the desire Of a, lady, a
lear friend of yours; and, may say, a
lear friend Of mine-Miss Nellie Nichol- 4
on" ,.l ~p. iu'
Noel smiled, forced smile, and point
ID to chair. ...'n y,t ... -l
His visitor was person well-known in |
he money-lending world. He had no
occasion to advertise, he was known every
where. He was quite celebrated for his |
ttli@ble and urbane character, and, hay
ng great deal Of money to spare, he
lad no objection to lend it to his friends.
n racompense Of which small services, he |
indy consented to take an interest from
wonty to fifty per cent. ,a "l |
Worthy man! he had real affection
on his clients. I1e was never known to
ave imprisoned a debtor-he preferred
,ursliing him, and hunting him down for
n TO fifteen years; and after he had OBJ
aimed his money piecelnsal by piecemeal,
left him with u broken heart,
rtcomfoltably settled in the workhouse.
The people he preferred principally to
ED with were ladies Of doubtful reputa-
ion; theatrical people who had fallen into
iticultes, either from the failure Of some
peculation, or through ill-health; also
nose audacious beings whose existence
epends solely on those who require their
id and assistance, such as authors, bar
sters, and doctors. ~ m'5}.E r7'
TO ladies, he lent upon their beauty
lille it lasted. ..l'.
70 men, striving men, upon their talent
while it lasted. ~ r'RI .o .p'..7n
A deadly old man to call "patron" and
liend was Monsieur Ducroe. He was like
he awful "sea-devil' described by Victor
Tugo---a something soft and pulpy; a