Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1888-01-20
HERR PAULUS,
sis RISE, HIS GREATNESS AND HIS
FALL.
by walter Besant, Author of "All Sorts
and Conditions of Men, etc, etc.
BOOK THE SECOND.
CHAPTER Xxx

dinner.
His absence completed the CONSERVATION
with which Mr.. Brudenel regarded the sit
nation. Never in the old days, when an
other medium after leading them to what
seemed solid rock had proved another dis
appointment, bad there been more
gloomy meal. All alike, even Cicely. in
despair at the breaking down of faith, were
oppressed with fearful forebodings. AS
Tor Mr. Brndenel, that Voice to which he
listened in the morning was still whisper
ing in his ears that the Sages, his new
friends, would take him at his word, and
make him demonstrate to the world his
contempt of riches. He looked round his
well appointed table, he thought of his
house, his habits, his personal comfort,
and wondered if he could bear the miser-
les of giving them up even for the Higher
Planes. He looked at his wife-she was
in crimson velvet, very gorgeous-and he
wondered how she would feel at begin
ming the spiritual ascent in rags. He drank
glass of soft. light claret, and wondered
il there was anything in the Ancient Phil
osophy which would replace claret The
spirits" whispered the Voice at his ear,
walk hand in hand upon these Higher
Planes, but they have got no claret. Sup
pose you have been already made to order
the sale of your lands and of your houses,
then you will soon know how pleasant life
may be without claret or anything. Oh,
Lord without anythingW
Thus this Voice-assuredly one of EN-
manuel Chicks neglected Spirits-whis-
pered in Mr.. Brudenel's ear. AS for Lady
Augusta, she only feared that her august
friend would not condesceud to so trivial
matter as the money in question. And
Sibyl was firmly persuaded that Paul at
that very moment Was making off with all
his might, bag of gold under either arm
containing no less than seventeen thous-
and five hundred golden sovereigns each,
weighing him down to such an extent
that his Four Leagued boots, with all his
efforts, barely covered three and half
leagues. Tom was gloomily asking him
self whether he had made a mistake in
supposing the man incapable of the lower
forms of meanness. Lastly, Hetty pale
and anxious, was maddening herself with
the fear that perhaps, in spite of his prom
iseS, her lover had been called away, made
TO go away and reduced once more to
discipline, order. and the rule of celibacy.
Oh Heaven Think of girl just engag
ed whose lover has to take the vows of
celbaCy. There was once play written
on this subject by an Elzabethan or ia
cobean Dramatist-Peele perhaps, or Tour
neur, or know not who. He called his
Tragedy Cloves Cherry Bob. "
lOlH, Ndlu WI ubtuti, WuGu JuCy
were left alone, Il fear the very worst"
We'll, sir" said Tom, nov you men
tiol. it, so do l."
Il can hardly sit still in my chair'-Mr.
BrudeDel bounded ont of it-'for the
thought of what may happen to us all.
We are in their poWer-completely in their
power, | hardly dare to talk of il, for fear
OF giving them offence"
"One thing" said Tom, lis certain. A
man cannot take five and thirty thousand
mounds i'm COLD nbA Rank u-oi,lI
refuse TO pay so large sum in specie. Our
friend may give US trouble, but he cannot
very well bolt with the swag. Even if he
drew it short-in notes-we could find it
out and stop them, | suppose Yet don't
know. What excuse should be put for
ward ~
"The land may follow the shares, Tom.
What is to prevent that Why shouldn't
they make me sign letters of authority to
sell the land %
And them" Tom continued, "it may be
difficult to fix on him alone the three sepa-
rate accounts in the three banks And it
is undoubtedly awkward that you did give
persooal Introduction and reference for
each of those three gentlemen"
What may be done with the land and
the shares" said Mr.. Brudenel, pursuing
his own line, =" may also be done with
this very house-with eyerything-every
less-we may be reduced in moment to
absolute Indulgence Was there ever a man
30 poweress f'
1--WE might employ detective"
"A detective What good are all the
detectives in the world when you come to
such work as this Can a detective watch
aspirit which, is invisible, yet has control
over matter ?"
81 think, sir" said Tom, that we are
talking of different things | want to pro
cure, If | can by any means, that money
of Cicely's and OF mine which is now lying
TO the credit of three gentlemen difficult
Of access"
"And am thinking that if the money
goes, the whole of my fOrtuna-sll | have
may go after it in the same way. How do
| know what have signed beside those
cheques? Have given authority to sell
my land Have l already parted with my
house and my library : What do | know
Because, Tom, this is the strangest thing
of all, that | have never been able to re-
member when and for what motive sold
those shares; when or why | signed those
cheques when or why wrote those let
tors of recommendation for three persons
no doubt of exalted characteristic
Brudenel looked round the room so as to
give these spirits if they were listening,
rhe assurance of his profound considera
tion-"seeing have only met one of them
in the valleys of Abyssinia, and have
never heard of the other two. On | know
that the fact cannot be disputed. The let
tiers and cheques are all in my handwrit
ing"
at Is deuced awkward thing" said
Tom, because, as you say, you may have
been trapped into writing or signing any
thing. Paul must have great powers"
"Panl Paul had nothing to do with it,
Paul is only a messenger. You might as
we'll suppose that Paul found out the Com
pany was shaky. Poor Paul with as much
knowledge of business rs the housemaid "
We'll, sir, it seems like advising you to
lock the stable door when the horse is
stolen but would it not be worth while
to sever the connection ?"
"What ?"
why not bid farewell TO the Ancient
Philosophy, even If you do have To 20 back
10 the modern medium :"
TON, do not scott"
II am not scoffing. | am quite serious
when say that if were you / would
postpone the Higher Plane till | got into
the next world"
81 have, confess" said Mr.. Brudenel,
Thought of this. have thought of ask