 Chapter 14 of THE MISTRY OF EDWIN DRUDE THE MISTRY OF EDWIN DRUDE THE UNFINISHED NOVEL BY CHARLES DICKENS CHAPTER 14 WHEN SHALL THESE THREE MEET AGAIN? Christmas Eve in Cloisterham A few strange faces in the streets. A few other faces, half strange and half familiar, once the faces of Cloisterham children, now the faces of men and women who come back from the outer world at long intervals to find the city wonderfully shrunken in size, as if it had not washed by any means well in the meantime. To these the striking of the cathedral-clock and the coring of the rooks from the cathedral-tower are like voices in their nursery-time. To such as these it has happened in their dying-hours afar off that they have imagined their chamber-floor to be strewn with the autumnal leaves fallen from the elm-trees in the clothes. So have the rustling sounds and fresh scents of their earliest impressions revived when the circle of their lives was very nearly traced, and the beginning and the end were drawing closer together. Seasonable tokens are about. Red berries shine here and there in the lattices of minor cannon-corner. Mr. and Mrs. Tope are daintily sticking sprigs of holly into the carvings and sconces of the cathedral stalls, as if they were sticking them into the coat-button-holes of the dean and chapter. Lavish profusion is in the shops, particularly in the articles of currants, raisins, spices, candied peel, and moist sugar. An unusual air of gallantry and dissipation is abroad, evinced in an immense bunch of mistletoe hanging in the greengrocer's shop doorway, a very poor twelfth-cake culminating in the figure of a harlequin. Such a very poor little twelfth-cake that one would rather call it a twenty-fourth-cake or a forty-eighth-cake to be raffled for at the pastry-cook's, terms one shilling per member. Public amusements are not wanting. The waxwork, which made so deep an impression on the reflective mind of the emperor of China, is to be seen by particular desire during Christmas week only, on the premises of the bankrupt livery-stablekeeper up the lane. And a new grand comic Christmas pantomime is to be produced at the theatre, the latter heralded by the portrait of Signore Giacconini, the clown, saying, How do you do to-morrow, quite as large as life, and almost as miserably? In short, cloistering is up and doing, though from this description the high school and Miss Twinkleton's are to be excluded. From the former establishment the scholars have gone home, every one of them in love with one of Miss Twinkleton's young ladies, who knows nothing about it, and only the handmaidens flutter occasionally in the windows of the latter. It is noticed, by the by, that these damsels become, within the limits of decorum, more skittish when thus entrusted with the concrete representation of their sex, than when dividing the representation with Miss Twinkleton's young ladies. Three are to meet at the gatehouse tonight. How does each one of the three get through the day? Neville Landless, though absolved from his books for the time by Mr. Chris Sparkle, whose fresh nature is by no means insensible to the charms of a holiday, reads and writes in his quiet room, with a concentrated air, until it is two hours past noon. He then sets himself to clearing his table to arranging his books, and to tearing up and burning his stray papers. He makes a clean sweep of all untidy accumulations, puts all his drawers in order, and leaves no note or scrap of paper undistroyed, saves such memoranda as bear directly on his studies. This done he turns to his wardrobe, selects a few articles of ordinary wear, among them change of stout shoes and socks for walking, and packs these in a knapsack. This knapsack is new, and he bought it in the High Street yesterday. He also purchased at the same time and at the same place a heavy walking stick, strong in the handle for the grip of the hand, and iron shod. He tries this, swings it, poises it, and lays it by with the knapsack on a window seat. By this time his arrangements are complete. He dresses for going out, and is in the act of going indeed has left his room, and has met the minor cannon on the staircase coming out of his bedroom upon the same story, when he turns back again for his walking stick, thinking he will carry it now. Mr. Chris Sparkle, who has paused on the staircase, sees it in his hand on his immediately reappearing, takes it from him, and asks him with a smile how he chooses a stick. Really, I don't know that I understand the subject he answers. I choose it for its weight. Much too heavy, Neville, much too heavy. To rest upon in a long walk, sir? Rest upon, repeats Mr. Chris Sparkle, throwing himself into pedestrian form. You don't rest upon it. You merely balance with it. I shall know better with practice, sir. I have not lived in a walking country, you know. True, says Mr. Chris Sparkle, get into a little training, and we will have a few score miles together. I should leave you nowhere now. Do you come back before dinner? I think not, as we dine early. Mr. Chris Sparkle gives him a bright nod and a cheerful goodbye, expressing, not without intention, absolute confidence and ease. Neville repairs to the nun's house and requests that Miss Landlis may be informed that her brother is there by appointment. He waits at the gate, not even crossing the threshold, for he is on his parole not to put himself in Rosa's way. His sister is at least as mindful of the obligation they have taken on themselves as he can be, and loses not a moment in joining him. They meet affectionately, avoid lingering there, and walk towards the upper inland country. I am not going to tread upon forbidden ground, Helena, says Neville, when they have walked some distance and a turning. You will understand in another moment that I cannot help referring to, what shall I say, my infatuation. Had you not better avoid it, Neville? You know that I can hear nothing. You can hear, my dear, what Mr. Chris Sparkle has heard, and heard with approval. Yes, I can hear so much. Well, it is this. I am not only unsettled and unhappy myself, but I am conscious of unsettling and interfering with other people. How do I know that, but for my unfortunate presence, you and the rest of that former party, our engaging guardian, accepted, might be dining cheerfully in minor canon-corner tomorrow? Indeed, it probably would be so. I can see too well that I am not high in the old lady's opinion, and it is easy to understand what an irksome clog I must be upon the hospitalities of her orderly house, especially at this time of year, when I must be kept asunder from this person, and there is such a reason for my not being brought into contact with that person, and an unfavourable reputation has preceded me with such another person, and so on. I have put this very gently to Mr. Chris Sparkle, for you know his self-denying ways. But still I have put it. What I have laid much greater stress upon at the same time is that I am engaged in a miserable struggle with myself, and that a little change and absence may enable me to come through it the better. So the weather being bright and hard, I am going on a walking expedition and intend taking myself out of everybody's way, my own included, I hope, tomorrow morning, when to come back in a fortnight, and going quite alone. I am much better without company, even if there were any one but you to bear me company, my dear Helena. Mr. Chris Sparkle entirely agrees, you say? Entirely. I am not sure about that at first he was inclined to think it rather a moody scheme, and one that might do a brooding mind harm. But we took a moonlight-wall-class Monday night to talk it over at leisure, and I represented the case to him as it really is. I showed him that I do not want to conquer myself, and that this evening well got over it is surely better that I should be away from here just now than here. I could hardly help meeting certain people walking together here, and that could do no good, and is certainly not the way to forget. A fortnight hence, that chance will probably be over for the time, and when it again arises for the last time why I can again go away. Father, I really do feel hopeful of bracing exercise and wholesome fatigue—you know that Mr. Chris Sparkle allows such things their full weight in the preservation of his own sound mind in his own sound body, and that his just spirit is not likely to maintain one set of natural laws for himself and another for me. He yielded to my view of the matter when convinced that I was honestly in earnest, and so with his full consent I start tomorrow morning. Early enough to be not only out of the streets, but out of hearing of the bells when the good people go to church. Helena thinks it over, and thinks well of it. Mr. Chris Sparkle doing so, she would do so. But she does originally out of her own mind think well of it as a healthy project, denoting a sincere endeavour and an active attempt at self-correction. She is inclined to pity him, poor fellow, for going away solitary on the great Christmas festival, but she feels it much more to the purpose to encourage him, and she does encourage him. Will he write to her? He will write to her every alternate day and tell her all his adventures. Does he send clothes on in advance of him? My dear Helena, no! Travel like a pilgrim with wallet and staff. My wallet or my knapsack is packed and ready for strapping on, and here is my staff. He hands it to her. She makes the same remark as Mr. Chris Sparkle that it is very heavy and gives it back to him, asking what would it is? Ironwood. Up to this point he has been extremely cheerful. Perhaps the having to carry his case with her and therefore to present it in its brightest aspect has roused his spirits. Perhaps the having done so with success is followed by a revulsion. As the day closes in and the city lights begin to spring up before them he grows depressed. I wish I were not going to this dinner, Helena. Dear Neville, is it worth while to care much about it? Think how soon it will be over. How soon it will be over? He repeats gloomily. Yes, but I don't like it. There may be a moment's awkwardness she cheeringly represents to him but it can only last a moment. He is quite sure of himself. I wish I felt as sure of everything else as I feel of myself, he answers her. How strangely you speak, dear. What do you mean? Helena, I don't know. I only know that I don't like it. What a strange dead weight there is in the air. She calls his attention to those copperous clouds beyond the river and says that the wind is rising. He scarcely speaks again until he takes leave of her at the gate of the nun's house. She does not immediately enter when they have parted but remains looking after him along the street. Twice he passes the gatehouse reluctant to enter. At length the cathedral clock chiming one quarter with a rapid turn he hurries in. And so he goes up the post and stare. Edward Drude passes a solitary day something of deeper moment than he had thought has gone out of his life and in the silence of his own chamber he wept for it last night. Though the image of Miss Landless still hovers in the background of his mind the pretty little affectionate creature so much firmer and wiser than he had supposed occupies its stronghold. It is with some misgiving of his own unworthiness that he thinks of her that they might have been to one another. If he had been more in earnest some time ago if he had set a higher value on her if instead of accepting his lot in life as an inheritance of course he had studied the right way to its appreciation and enhancement. And still for all this and though there is a sharp headache in all this the vanity and caprice of youth sustain that handsome figure of Miss Landless in the background of his mind. That was a curious look of roses when they parted at the gate. Did it mean that she saw below the surface of his thoughts and down into their twilight depths? Scarcely that for it was a look of astonished and keen inquiry. He decides that he cannot understand it though it was remarkably expressive. As he only waits for Mr. Grugius now and will depart immediately after having seen him he takes a sauntering leave of the ancient city and its neighbourhood. He recalls the time when Rosa and he walked here and there, mere children full of the dignity of being engaged. Poor children, he thinks with a pitting sadness. Finding that his watch has stopped he turns into the jeweler's shop to have it wound and set. The jeweler is knowing on the subject of a bracelet which he begs to submit in a general and quite aimless way it would suit he considers a young bride to perfection especially if of rather a diminutive style of beauty. Finding the bracelet but coldly looked at the jeweler invites attention to a tray of rings for gentlemen. Here is a style of ring now he remarks a very chaste signet which gentlemen are much given to purchasing when changing their condition. A ring of very reasonable appearance with the date of their wedding-day engraved inside several gentlemen have preferred it to any other kind of memento. The rings are as coldly viewed as the bracelet. Edwin tells the tempter that he wears no jewellery but his watch and chain which were his father's and his shirtpin. That I was aware of is the jeweler's reply for Mr. Jasper dropped him for a watch-glass the other day and in fact I showed these articles to him remarking that if he should wish to make a present to a gentleman relative on any particular occasion but he said with a smile that he had an inventory in his mind of all the jewellery his gentleman relative ever wore namely his watch and chain and his shirtpin still the jeweler considers that might not apply to all times though applying to the present time. Twenty minutes past to Mr. Druid I set your watch out let me recommend you not to let it run down, sir. Edwin takes his watch, puts it on and goes out thinking, dear old Jack if I were to make an extra crease in my neck-cloth he would think it worth noticing. He strolls about and about to pass the time until the dinner-hour it somehow happens that Cloisterham seems reproachful to him today has fought to find with him as if he had not used it well but he's far more pensive with him than angry his wanton carelessness is replaced by a wistful looking at and dwelling upon all the old landmarks he will soon be far away and may never see them again, he thinks poor youth, poor youth as dusk draws on he paces the monk's vineyard he has walked to and fro full half an hour by the cathedral chimes and it has closed in dark before he becomes quite aware of a woman crouching on the ground near a wicked gate in a corner the gate commands a cross-by-path little used in the gloaming and the figure must have been there all the time though he has but gradually and lately made it out he strikes into that path and walks up to the wicked by the light of a lamp near it he sees that the woman is of haggard appearance and that her wheeze and chin is resting on her hands and that her eyes are staring with an unwinking, blind sort of steadfastness before her always kind but moved to be unusually kind this evening and having bestowed kind words on most of the children and aged people he has met he at once bends down and speaks to this woman are you ill? no, dearie she answers without looking at him and with no departure from her strange, blind stare are you blind? no, dearie are you lost, homeless, faint? what is the matter that you stay here in the cold so long without moving? by slow and stiff efforts she appears to contract her vision until it can rest upon him and then a curious film passes over her and she begins to shake he straightens himself recoils a step and looks down at her in a dread amazement for he seems to know her good heavens, he thinks next moment like Jack that night as he looks down at her she looks up at him and whimpers my lungs is weakly my lungs is dreadful bad poor me, poor me my cough is rattling dry and coughs in confirmation horribly where did you come from? come from London, dearie her cough still rending her where are you going to? back to London, dearie I came here looking for a needle in haystack and I ain't found it look here, dearie give me three and sixpence and don't you be afraid of me I'll get back to London then and trouble no one I'm in a business but me, it's slack and times is very bad but I can make a shift to live by it do you eat opium? spokes it she replies with difficulty still wracked by her cough give me three and sixpence and I'll lay it out well and get back if you don't give me three and sixpence don't give me a brass fartin and if you do give me three and sixpence, dearie I'll tell you something he counts the money from his pocket and puts it in her hand she instantly clutches it tight and rises to her feet with a croaking laugh of satisfaction bless ye Harky, dear gentlemen what's your christened name? Edwin Edwin Edwin, Edwin she repeats trailing off into a drowsy repetition of the word and then asks suddenly it's the short of that name, Eddie it is sometimes called so he replies with the colour starting to his face don't sweet hearts call it so she asks pondering how should I know? haven't you a sweet heart upon your soul? none she is moving away with another bless ye and thank ye, dearie when he adds you were to tell me something you may as well do so so I was so I was well then, whisper you be thankful that your name a Ned he looks at her quite steadily as he asks why? because it's a bad name to have just now how a bad name? a threatened name a dangerous name the proverb says that threatened men live long, he tells her lightly then Ned so threatened is he wherever he may be while I am a talking to you, dearie should live to all eternity replies the woman she has leaned forward to say it in his ear with her forefinger shaking before his eyes and now huddles herself together and with another bless ye and thank ye goes away in the direction of the traveller's lodging-house this is not an inspiriting close to a dull day alone in a sequestered place surrounded by vestiges of old time and decay it rather has a tendency to call a shudder into being he makes for the better lighted streets and resolves as he walks on to say nothing of this to-night but to mention it to Jack who alone calls him Ned as an odd coincidence to-morrow of course only as a coincidence and not as anything better worth remembering still it holds him as many things much better worth remembering never did he has another mile or so to linger out before the dinner-hour and when he walks over the bridge and by the river the woman's words are in the rising wind in the angry sky, in the troubled water in the flickering lights there is some solemn echo of them even in the cathedral chime which strikes a sudden surprise to his heart as he turns in under the archway of the gate-house and so he goes up the poston stair John Jasper passes a more agreeable and cheerful day than either of his guests having no music lessons to give him the holiday season his time is his own but for the cathedral services he is early among the shopkeepers ordering little table luxuries that his nephew likes his nephew will not be with him long he tells his provision-dealers and so must be petted and made much of while out on his hospitable preparations he looks in on Mr. Sapsy and mentions that dear Ned and that inflammable young spark of Mr. Chris Sparkles are to dine at the gate-house today and make up their difference Mr. Sapsy is by no means friendly towards the inflammable young spark he says that his complexion is un-English and when Mr. Sapsy has once declared anything to be un-English he considers that thing everlastingly sunk in the bottomless pit John Jasper is truly sorry to hear Mr. Sapsy speak thus for he knows right well that Mr. Sapsy never speaks without a meaning and that he has a very subtle trick of being right Mr. Sapsy, by a very remarkable coincidence is of exactly that opinion Mr. Jasper is in beautiful voice this day in the pathetic supplication to have his heart inclined to keep this law he quite astonishes his fellows by his melodious power he has never sung difficult music with such skill and harmony as in this day's anthem his nervous temperament is occasionally prone to take difficult music a little too quickly today his time is perfect these results are probably attained through a grand composure of the spirits the mere mechanism of his throat is a little tender for he wears both with his singing robe and with his ordinary dress a large black scarf of close woven silk slung loosely around his neck but his composure is so noticeable that Mr. Chris Sparkle speaks of it as they come out from Vespers I must thank you Jasper for the pleasure with which I have heard you today beautiful, delightful you could not have so outdone yourself, I hope without being wonderfully well I am wonderfully well nothing unequal, says the minor canon with a smooth motion of his hand nothing unsteady, nothing forced nothing avoided all thoroughly done in a masterful manner with perfect self-command thank you I hope so if it is not too much to say one would think Jasper that you have been trying a new medicine for that occasional indisposition of yours no really that's well observed for I have then stick to it my good fellow says Mr. Chris Sparkle clapping him on the shoulder with friendly encouragement stick to it I will I congratulate you Mr. Chris Sparkle pursues as they come out of the cathedral on all accounts thank you again I will walk round the corner with you if you don't object I have plenty of time before my company come and I want to say a word to you which I think you will not be displeased to hear what is it? well we were speaking the other evening of my black humours Mr. Chris Sparkle's face falls and he shakes his head deploringly I said you know that I should make you an antidote to those black humours and you said you hoped I would consign them to the flames and I hope and I still hope so Jasper with the best reason in the world I mean to burn this year's diary at the year's end because you Mr. Chris Sparkle brightens greatly as he thus begins you anticipate me because I feel that I have been out of sorts gloomy, bilious brain oppressed whatever it may be you said I had been exaggerative so I have Mr. Chris Sparkle's brightened face brightens still more I couldn't see it then because I was out of sorts but I am in a healthy state now and I acknowledge it with genuine pleasure I made a great deal of a very little that's the fact it does me good cries Mr. Chris Sparkle to hear you say it a man leading a monotonous life Jasper proceeds and getting his nerves or his stomach out of order dwells upon an idea until it loses its proportions that was my case with the idea in question so I shall burn the evidence of my case when the book is full and begin the next volume with a clearer vision this is better says Mr. Chris Sparkle stopping at the steps of his own door to shake hands then I could have hoped why naturally returns Jasper you have but little reason to hope that I should become more like yourself you are always training yourself to be mind and body as clear as crystal and you always are and never change whereas I am a muddy solitary moping weed however I have got over that mope shall I wait while you ask if Mr. Neville has left for my place if not he and I may walk round together I think says Mr. Chris Sparkle opening the entrance door with his key that he left some time ago at least I know he left and I think he has not come back but I'll inquire you won't come in my company wait said Jasper with a smile the minor canon disappears and in a few moments returns as he thought Mr. Neville has not come back indeed as he remembers now Mr. Neville said he will probably go straight to the gatehouse bad manners in a host says Jasper my company will be there before me what will you bet that I don't find my company embracing I will bet or I would if I ever bet returns Mr. Chris Sparkle that your company will have a gay entertainer this evening Jasper nods and laughs good night he retraces his steps to the cathedral door and turns down past it to the gatehouse he sings in a low voice and with delicate expression as he walks along it still seems as if a false note were not within his power tonight and as if nothing could hurry or retard him arriving thus under the arched entrance of his dwelling he pauses for an instant in the shelter to pull off that great black scarf and bang it in a loop upon his arm for that brief time his face is knitted and stern but it immediately clears as he resumes his singing and his way and so he goes up the post and stair the red light burns steadily all the evening in the lighthouse on the margin of the tide of busy life softened sounds and hum of traffic pass it and flow on irregularly into the lonely precincts but very little else goes by save violent rushes of wind it comes on to blow a boisterous gale the precincts are never particularly well lighted but the strong blasts of wind blowing out many of the lamps in some instances shattering the frames too and bringing the glass rattling to the ground they are unusually dark tonight the darkness is augmented and confused by flying dust from the earth dry twigs from the trees and great ragged fragments from the rook's nests up in the tower the trees themselves so toss and creak as this tangible part of the darkness madly whirls about that they seem in a peril of being torn out of the earth while ever and again a crack and a rushing fall denote that some large branch has yielded to the storm not such power of wind has blown for many a winter night chimneys topple in the streets and people hold to posts and corners and to one another to keep themselves upon their feet the violent rushes abate not but increase in frequency and fury until at midnight when the streets are empty the storm goes thundering along them rattling at all the latches and tearing at all the shutters as if warning the people to get up and fly with it rather than have the roofs brought down upon their brains still the red light burns steadily nothing is steady but the red light all through the night the wind blows and abates not but early in the morning when there is barely enough light in the east to dim the stars it begins to lull from that time with occasional wild charges like a wounded monster dying it drops and sinks and at full daylight it is dead it is then seen that the hands of the cathedral clock are torn off that lead from the roof has been stripped away rolled up and blown into the clothes and that some great stones have been displaced upon the summit of the great tower Christmas morning though it be it is necessary to send workmen up to ascertain the extent of the damage done these led by turtles go aloft while Mr. Tope and a crowd of early idlers gather down in minor cannon corner shading their eyes and watching for their appearance up there this cluster is suddenly broken and put aside by the hands of Mr. Jasper all the gazing eyes are brought down to the earth by his loudly inquiring of Mr. Chris Sparkle at an open window where is my nephew? he has not been here is he not with you? no he went down to the river last night with Mr. Neville to look at the storm and has not been back call Mr. Neville he left this morning early let me in, let me in there is no more looking up at the tower now all the assembled eyes are turned on Mr. Jasper white half dressed panting and clinging to the rail before the minor cannons house end of chapter 14 read by Alan Chant of Tumbridge in Kent, England during the summer of 2008 chapter 15 of The Mystery of Edwin Drude this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org recording by Alan Chant The Mystery of Edwin Drude the unfinished novel by Charles Dickens chapter 15 impeached Neville Landlis had started so early and walked at so good a pace that when the church bells began to ring in Cloisterham for morning service he was eight miles away as he wanted his breakfast by that time having set forth on a crust of bread he stopped at the next roadside tavern to refresh visitors in want of breakfast visitors in want of breakfast unless they were horses or cattle for which class of guests there was preparation enough in the way of water trough and hay were so unusual at the sign of the tilted wagon that it took a long time to get the wagon into the track of tea and toast and bacon Neville in the interval sitting in a sanded parlour wondering in how long a time after he had gone the sneezy fire of damp faggots would begin to make somebody else warm Indeed, the tilted wagon has a cool establishment on the top of a hill where the ground before the door was puddled with damp hooves and trodden straw where a scolding landlady slapped a moist baby with one red sock on and one wanting in the bar where the cheese was cast aground upon a shelf in company with a mouldy tablecloth and a green-handled knife in a sort of cast iron canoe where the pale-faced bread shed tears of crumb over its shipwreck in another canoe where the family linen, half-washed and half-dried led a public life of lying about where everything to drink was drunk out of mugs and everything else was suggestive of a rhyme to mugs The tilted wagon, all these things considered hardly kept its painted promise of providing good entertainment for man and beast However, man, in the present case, was not critical but took what entertainment he could get and went on again after a longer rest than he needed He stopped at some quarter of a mile from the house hesitating whether to pursue the road or to follow a cart-track between two high-hedge rows which led across the slope of a breezy heath and evidently struck into the road again by and by He decided in favour of this latter-track and pursued it with some toil the rise being steep and the way worn into deep ruts He was labouring along when he became aware of some other pedestrians behind him As they were coming up at a faster pace than his he stood aside against one of the high banks to let them pass but their manner was very curious only four of them passed Other four slackened speed and loitered as intending to follow him when he should go on The remainder of the party, half a dozen perhaps, turned and went back at a great rate He looked at the four behind him and he looked at the four before him They all returned his look He resumed his way The four in advance went on constantly looking back The four in the rear came closing up When they all ranged out from the narrow track on the open slope of the heath and this order was maintained let him diverge as he would to either side There was no longer room to doubt that he was beset by these fellows He stopped as a last test and they all stopped Why do you attend upon me in this way? He asked the whole body Are you a pack of thieves? Don't answer him said one of the number He did not see which Better be quiet Better be quiet repeated Neville Who said so? Nobody replied It's good advice Whichever of you sulkers gave it he went on angrily I will not submit to be penned in between four men there and four men there I wish to pass and I mean to pass those four in front They were all standing still himself included If eight men or four men or two men set upon one he proceeded growing more enraged The one has no chance but to set his mark upon some of them and by the Lord I'll do it if I am interrupted any farther Shouldering his heavy stick and quickening his pace he shot on to pass the four ahead The largest and strongest man of the numbers changed swiftly to the side on which he came up and dexterously closed with him and went down with him but not before the heavy stick had descended smartly Let him be said this man in a suppressed voice as they struggled together on the grass Fair play! His is the build of a girl to mine and he's got a white strap to his back besides Let him alone! I'll manage him! After a little rolling about in a close scuffle which caused the faces of both to be besmeared with blood the man took his knee from Neville's chest and rose saying, There, now take him arm in arm any two of you It was immediately done As to error being a pack of thieves, Mr Landless said the man as he spat out some blood and wiped more from his face You know better than that at mid-day We wouldn't have touched you if you hadn't forced us We're going to take you round to the high-year-old anyhow and you'll find help enough against thieves there if you want it Wipe his face somebody See how it's a trickling down him When his face was cleansed Neville recognised in the speaker Joe driver of the Cloister Omnibus whom he had seen but once and that on the day of his arrival And what I recommend you for the present is Don't talk, Mr Landless You'll find a friend waiting for you at the high-year-old gone ahead by the other way when we split into two parties and you had much better say nothing till you come up with him Bring that stick along somebody else and let's be moving Utterly bewildered, Neville stared around him and said not a word Walking between his two conductors who held his arms in theirs he went on as in a dream until they came again into the high-road and into the midst of a little group of people The men who had turned back were among the group and its central figures were Mr Jasper and Mr Chris Sparkle Neville's conductors took him up to the minor cannon and there released him as an act of deference to that gentleman What is all this, sir? What is the matter? I feel as if I had lost my senses cried Neville the group closing in around him Where is my nephew? asked Mr Jasper wildly Where is your nephew, repeated Neville? Why do you ask me? I ask you, retorted Jasper because you were the last person in his company and he is not to be found Not to be found? cried Neville aghast Stay, stay! said Mr Chris Sparkle Permit me, Jasper Mr Neville, you are confounded collect your thoughts it is of great importance that you should collect your thoughts attend to me I will try, sir but I seem mad You left Mr Jasper last night with Edwin Druid Yes, at what hour? Was it at twelve o'clock? asked Neville with his hand to his confused head and appealing to Jasper Right, said Mr Chris Sparkle the hour Mr Jasper has already named to me You went down to the river together? Undoubtably to see the action of the wind there What followed? How long did you stay there? About ten minutes I should say not more We then walked together to your house and he took leave of me at the door Did he say that he was going down to the river again? No He said that he was going straight back The bystanders looked at one another and at Mr Chris Sparkle to whom Mr Jasper, who had been intensely watching Neville said in a low distinct suspicious voice What are those stains upon his dress? All eyes were turned towards the blood upon his clothes And here are the same stains upon this stick said Jasper, taking it from the hand of the man who held it I know the stick to be his and he carried it last night What does this mean? In the name of God say what it means Neville urged Mr Chris Sparkle That man and I, said Neville pointing out his late adversary had a struggle for the stick just now and you may see the same marks on him, sir What was I to suppose when I found myself molested by eight people? Could I dream of the true reason when they would give me none at all? They admitted that they had thought it discreet to be silent and that the struggle had taken place and yet the very men who had seen it looked darkly at the smears which the bright cold air had already dried We must return Neville, said Mr Chris Sparkle Of course you will be glad to come back to clear yourself Of course, sir Mr Landless will walk at my side the minor cannon continued, looking around him Come, Neville They set forth on the walk back and the others with one exception struggled after them at various distances Jasper walked on the other side of Neville and never quitted that position He was silent, while Mr Chris Sparkle more than once repeated his former questions and while Neville repeated his former answers also while they both hazarded some explanatory conjectures He was obstinately silent because Mr Chris Sparkle's manner directly appealed to him to take some part in the discussion and no appeal would move his fixed face When they drew near to the city and it was suggested by the minor cannon that they might do well in calling on the mayor at once he assented with a stern nod but he spake no word until they stood in Mr Saps's parlour Mr Sapsy, being informed by Mr Chris Sparkle of the circumstances under which they desired to make a voluntary statement before him Mr Jasper broke silence by declaring that he placed his whole reliance humanly speaking on Mr Saps's penetration There was no conceivable reason why his nephew should have suddenly absconded unless Mr Sapsy could suggest one and then he would defer There was no intelligible likelihood of his having returned to the river and been accidentally drowned in the dark unless it should appear likely to Mr Sapsy and then again he would defer He washed his hands as clean as he could of all horrible suspicions unless it should appear to Mr Sapsy that some such were inseparable from his last companion before his disappearance not on good terms with previously and then once more he would defer his own state of mind he being distracted with doubts and laboring under dismal apprehensions was not to be safely trusted but Mr Sapsy's was Mr Sapsy expressed his opinion that the case had a dark look in short and here his eyes rested full on Neville's countenance an un-English complexion Having made this grand point he wandered into a denser haze and maze of nonsense than even a mare might have been expected to disport himself in and came out of it with a brilliant discovery that to take the life of a fellow creature was to take something that didn't belong to you He wavered whether or no he should at once issue his warrant for the committal of Neville landless to jail under circumstances of grave suspicion and he might have gone so far as to do it but for the indignant protest of the minor canon who undertook for the young man's remaining in his own house and being produced by his own hands whenever demanded Mr Jasper then understood Mr Sapsy to suggest that the river should be dragged that its banks should be rigidly examined that particulars of the disappearance should be sent to all outlying places and to London and that placards and advertisements should be widely circulated imploring Edwin Drude if for any unknown reason he had withdrawn himself from his uncle's home and society to take pity on that loving kinsman's sore bereavement and distress and somehow inform him that he was yet alive Mr Sapsy was perfectly understood for this was exactly his meaning though he had said nothing about it and measures were taken towards all these ends immediately it would be difficult to determine which was the more oppressed with horror and amazement Neville Landless or John Jasper but that Jasper's position forced him to be active while Neville's forced him to be passive there would have been nothing to choose between them each was bowed down and broken with the earliest light of the next morning men were at work upon the river and other men most of whom volunteered for the service were examining the banks all the live long day the search went on upon the river with barge and pole and drag and net upon the muddy and rushy shore with jackboots, hatchets, spade, rope, dogs and all imaginable appliances even at night the river was specked with lanterns and lurid with fires far off creeks into which the tide washed as it changed had their knots of watchers listening to the lapping of the stream and looking out for any burden it might bear remote shingle causeways near the sea and lonely points of which there was a race of water had their unwanted flaring cressets and rough-coated figures when the next day dawned but no trace of Edwin Drude revisited the light of the sun all that day again the search went on now in barge and boat now ashore among the osiers or trampling amidst mud and stakes and jagged stones in low-lying places where solitary watermarks and signals of strange shapes showed like spectres John Jasper worked and toiled but to no purpose for still no trace of Edwin Drude revisited the light of the sun setting his watches for that night again so that vigil and eyes should be kept on every change of tide he went home exhausted unkempt and disordered bedorbed with mud that had dried upon him and with much of his clothing torn to rags he had but just dropped into his easy chair when Mr. Grugius stood before him this is strange news said Mr. Grugius strange and fearful news Jasper had merely lifted up his heavy eyes to say it and now dropped them again as he drooped worn out over one side of his easy chair Mr. Grugius smoothed his head and face and stood looking at the fire how is your ward? asked Jasper after a time in a faint, fatigued voice poor little thing you may imagine her condition have you seen his sister? inquired Jasper as before whose? the cuteness of the counter-question and the cool slow manner in which, as he put it Mr. Grugius moved his eyes from the fire to his companion's face might at any other time have been exasperating in his depression and exhaustion Jasper merely opened his eyes to say the suspected young man's do you suspect him? asked Mr. Grugius I don't know what to think I cannot make up my mind nor I said Mr. Grugius but you spoke of him as the suspected young man I thought you had made up your mind I have just left Miss Landless what is her state? defiance of all suspicion and unbounded faith in her brother poor thing however pursued Mr. Grugius it is not of her that I came to speak it is of my ward I have a communication to make that will surprise you at least it has surprised me Jasper with a groaning sigh turned wearily in his chair shall I put it off till tomorrow? said Mr. Grugius mind I warn you that I think it will surprise you more attention and concentration came into John Jasper's eyes they caught sight of Mr. Grugius smoothing his hair again and again looking at the fire but now with a compressed and determined mouth what is it? demanded Jasper becoming upright in his chair to be sure said Mr. Grugius provokingly slow and internal as he kept his eyes on the fire I might have known it sooner she gave me the opening and I am such an exceedingly angular man that it never occurred to me I took all for granted what is it? demanded Jasper once more Mr. Grugius alternately opening and shutting the palms of his hands as he warmed them at the fire and looking fixedly at him sideways and never changing either his action or his look in all that followed went on to reply this young couple the lost youth and Miss Rosa Myward though so long betrothed and so long recognising their betrothal and so near being married Mr. Grugius saw a staring white face and two quivering white lips in the easy chair and saw two muddy hands gripping its sides but for the hands he might have thought he had never seen the face this young couple came gradually to the discovery made on both sides pretty equally I think that they would be happier and better both in their present and their future lives as affectionate friends or say rather as brother and sister than as husband and wife Mr. Grugius saw a lead-coloured face in the easy chair and on its surface dreadful starting drops or bubbles as if of steel this young couple formed at length the healthy resolution of interchanging their discoveries openly sensibly and tenderly they met for that purpose after some innocent and generous talk they agreed to dissolve their existing and their intended relations for ever and ever Mr. Grugius saw a ghastly figure rise open-mouthed from the easy chair and lift its outspread hands towards its head one of this young couple and that one your nephew fearful however that in the tenderness of your affection for him you would be bitterly disappointed by so wide a departure from his projected life for bore to tell you the secret for a few days and left it to be disclosed by me when I should come down to speak to you and he would be gone I speak to you and he is gone Mr. Grugius saw the ghastly figure throw back its head clutch its hair with its hands and turn with a writhing action from him I have now said all I have to say except that this young couple parted firmly though not without tears and sorrow on the evening when you last saw them together Mr. Grugius heard a terrible shriek and saw no ghastly figure sitting or standing saw nothing but a heap of torn and miry clothes upon the floor not changing his action even then he opened and shut the palms of his hands as he warmed them and looked down at it End of Chapter 15 Read by Alan Chant of Tumbridge, in Kent, England during the winter of 2008 Chapter 16 of The Mystery of Edwin Drude This is a LibriVox recording All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org Recording by Alan Chant The Mystery of Edwin Drude The Unfinished Novel by Charles Dickens Chapter 16 Devoted When John Jasper recovered from his fit or swoon he found himself being tended by Mr. and Mrs. Tope whom his visitor had summoned for the purpose His visitor, wooden of aspect sat stiffly in a chair with his hands upon his knees watching his recovery There, you've come to nicely now sir said the tearful Mrs. Tope who thoroughly worn out and no wonder Our man said Mr. Grugius with his usual air repeating a lesson cannot have his rest broken and his mind cruelly tormented and his body overtaxed by fatigue without being thoroughly worn out I fear I have alarmed you Jasper apologised faintly when he was helped into his easy chair Not at all, I thank you answered Mr. Grugius You are too considerate Not at all, I thank you answered Mr. Grugius again You must take some wine, sir said Mrs. Tope and the jelly that I had ready for you and that you wouldn't put your lips to at noon though I've warned you what would come of it, you know and you're not breakfasted and you must have a wing of the roast foul that has been put back twenty times if it's been put back once it shall all be on table in five minutes and this good gentleman be like will stop and see you take it This good gentleman replied with a snort which might mean yes or no or anything or nothing and which Mrs. Tope would have found highly mystifying but that her attention was divided by the service of the table You will take something with me said Jasper as the cloth was laid I couldn't get a morsel down my throat I thank you answered Mr. Grugius Jasper both ate and drank almost voraciously combined with the hurry in his mode of doing it was an evident indifference to the taste of what he took suggesting that he ate and drank to fortify himself against other failures of the spirits far more than to gratify his palate Mr. Grugius in the meantime sat upright with no expression in his face and a hard kind of imperturbably polite protest all over him as though he would have said and replied to some invitation to discourse I couldn't originate the faintest approach to an observation on any subject whatever I thank you Do you know, said Jasper when he had pushed away his plate and glass and had sat meditating for a few minutes do you know that I find some crumbs of comfort in the communication with which you have so much amazed me Do you? returned Mr. Grugius pretty plainly adding the unspoken clause I don't, I thank you after recovering from the shock of a piece of news of my dear boy so entirely unexpected and so destructive of all the castles I had built for him and after having had time to think of it yes I shall be glad to pick up your crumbs said Mr. Grugius dryly is there not? or is there if I deceive myself tell me so and shorten my pain is there not or is there hope that finding himself in this new position and becoming sensitively alive to the awkward burden of explanation in this quarter and that and the other with which it would load him he avoided the awkwardness and took to flight such a thing might be said Mr. Grugius pondering such a thing has been I have read of cases in which people rather than face a seven days wonder and have to account for themselves to the idle and impertinent have taken themselves away and been long unheard of I believe such things have happened said Mr. Grugius pondering still when I had and could have no suspicion pursued Jesper eagerly following the new track that the dear lost boy had withheld anything from me most of all such a leading matter as this what gleam of light was there for me in the whole black sky when I supposed that his intended wife was here and his marriage close at hand how could I entertain the possibility of his voluntarily leaving this place in a manner that would be so unaccountable capricious and cruel but now that I know what you have told me is there no little chink through which day pierces suppose him to have disappeared of his own act is not his disappearance more accountable and less cruel the fact of his having just parted from your ward is in itself a sort of reason for his going away it does not make his mysterious departure the less cruel to me it is true but it relieves it of cruelty to her Mr. Grugius could not but ascent to this and even as to me continued Jesper still pursuing the new track with Arda and as he did so brightening with hope he knew that you were coming to me he knew that you were entrusted to tell me what you have told me if you're doing so has awakened a new train of thought in my perplexed mind it reasonably follows that from the same premises he might have foreseen the inferences that I should draw grant that he did foresee them and even the cruelty to me and who am I? John Jasper Musicmaster vanishes once more Mr. Grugius could not but ascent to this I have had my distrusts and terrible distrust they have been said Jesper but your disclosure overpowering as it was at first showing me that my own dear boy had had a great disappointing reservation from me who so fondly loved him kindles hope within me you do not extinguish it when I state it but admit it to be a reasonable hope I begin to believe it possible here he clasped his hands that he may have disappeared from among us of his own accord and that he may yet be alive and well Mr. Chris Sparkle came in at the moment to whom Mr. Jasper repeated I begin to believe it possible that he may have disappeared of his own accord and may yet be alive and well Mr. Chris Sparkle taking a seat and inquiring why so? Mr. Jasper repeated the arguments he had just set forth if they had been less plausible than they were the good miner cannon's mind would have been in a state of preparation to receive them as exculpatory of his unfortunate pupil but he too did really attach great importance to the lost young man's having been so immediately before his disappearance placed in a new and embarrassing relation towards everyone acquainted with his projects and affairs and the fact seemed to him to present the question in a new light I stated to Mr. Sapsy when we waited on him said Jasper as he really had done that there was no quarrel or difference between the two young men at their last meeting we all know that their first meeting was unfortunately very far from amicable but all went smoothly and quietly when they were last together at my house my dear boy was not in his usual spirits he was depressed I noticed that and I am bound henceforth to dwell upon the circumstance the more now that I know there was a special reason for his being depressed a reason moreover which may possibly have induced him to absent himself I pray to heaven it may turn out so exclaimed Mr. Chris Barkle I pray to heaven it may turn out so repeated Jasper you know and Mr. Grugius should now know likewise that I talk a great pre-possession against Mr. Neville Landless arising out of his furious conduct on that first occasion you know that I came to you extremely apprehensive on my dear boy's behalf of his mad violence you know that I even entered in my diary and showed the entry to you that I had dark forebodings against him Mr. Grugius ought to be possessed of the whole case he shall not through any suppression of mine be informed of a part of it and kept in ignorance of another part of it I wish him to be good enough to understand that the communication he has made to me has hopefully influenced my mind in spite of its having been before this mysterious occurrence took place I am profoundly impressed against young Landless this fairness troubled the minor canon much he felt that he was not as open in his own dealing he charged against himself reproachfully that he had suppressed so far the two points of a second strong outbreak of temper against Edwin Drude on the part of Neville and of the passion of jealousy having to his own certain knowledge flamed up in Neville's breast against him he was convinced of Neville's innocence of any part in the ugly disappearance and yet so many little circumstances combined so woefully against him that he dreaded to add two more to their cumulative weight he was among the truest of men but he had been balancing in his mind much to its distress whether his volunteering to tell these two fragments of truth at this time would not be tantamount to a piecing together a falsehood in the place of truth however here was a model before him he hesitated no longer addressing Mr. Grugius as one placed in authority by the revelation he had brought to bear on the mystery and surpassingly angular Mr. Grugius became when he found himself in that unexpected position Mr. Crisparkel bore his testimony to Mr. Jasper's strict sense of justice and expressing his absolute confidence in the complete clearance of his pupil from the least taint of suspicion sooner or later avowed that his confidence in that young gentleman had been formed in spite of his confidential knowledge that his temper was of the hottest and fiercest and that it was directly incensed against Mr. Jasper's nephew by the circumstance of his romantically supposing himself to be enamoured of the same young lady the sanguine reaction manifest in Mr. Jasper was proof even against this unlooked for declaration it turned him paler that he repeated that he would cling to the hope he had derived from Mr. Grugius and that if no trace of his dear boy were found leading to the dreadful inference that he had been made away with he would cherish unto the last stretch of possibility the idea that he might have absconded of his own wild will now it fell out that Mr. Crisparkel going away from this conference still very uneasy in his mind and very much troubled on behalf of the young man whom he held as a kind of prisoner in his own house took a memorable night walk he walked to Cloisterham Weir he often did so and consequently there was nothing remarkable in his footsteps tending that way but the preoccupation of his mind so hindered him from planning any walk or taking heed of the objects he passed that his first consciousness of being near the Weir was derived from the sound of the falling water close at hand how did I come here was his first thought as he stopped why did I come here was his second then he stood intently listening to the water a familiar passage in his reading about airy tongues that syllable men's names rose so unbidden to his ear that he put it from him with his hand as if it were tangible it was Starlight the Weir was two full miles above the spot to which the young men had repaired to watch the storm no search had been made up here for the tide had been running strongly down at that time of the night of Christmas Eve and the likeliest places for the discovery of a body if a fatal accident had happened under such circumstances all lay, both when the tide ebbed and when it flowed again between that spot and the sea the water came over the Weir with its usual sound on a cold starlit night and little could be seen of it yet Mr. Chris Barkle had a strange idea that something unusual hung about the place he reasoned with himself what was it where was it put it to the proof what sense did it address no sense reported anything unusual there he listened again and his sense of hearing again checked the water coming over the Weir with its usual sound on a cold starlit night knowing very well that the mystery with which his mind was occupied might of itself give the place this haunted air he strained those hawk's eyes of his for the correction of his sight he got closer to the Weir and peered at its well-known posts and timbers nothing in the least unusual was remotely shadowed forth but he resolved that he would come back early in the morning the Weir ran through his broken sleep all night and he was back again at sunrise it was a bright frosty morning the whole composition before him when he stood where he had stood last night was clearly discernible in its minutest details he had surveyed it closely for some minutes and was about to withdraw his eyes when they were attracted keenly to one spot he turned his back upon the Weir and looked far away at the sky and at the earth and then looked again at that one spot it caught his sight again immediately and he concentrated his vision upon it he could not lose it now though it was but such a speck in the landscape it fascinated his sight his hands began plucking off his coat for it struck him that at that spot a corner of the Weir something glistened which did not move and come over with the glistening water drops but remained stationary he assured himself of this he threw off his clothes he plunged into the icy water and swam for the spot climbing the timbers he took from them caught among the interstices by its chain a gold watch bearing engraved upon its back E.D. he brought the watch to the bank swam to the Weir again climbed it and dived off he knew every hole and corner of all the depths and dived and dived and dived until he could bear the cold no more his notion was that he would find the body he only found a shirt-pin sticking in some mud and ooze with these discoveries he returned to Cloisterham and taking Neville landless with him went straight to the mare Mr. Jasper was sent for the watch and shirt-pin were identified Neville was detained and the wildest frenzy and fatuity of evil report arose against him he was of that vindictive and violent nature that but for his poor sister who alone had influence over him and out of whose sight he was never to be trusted he would be in the daily commission of murder before coming to England he had caused to be whipped to death sundry natives nomadic persons encamping now in Asia, now in Africa now in the West Indies and now at the North Pole vaguely supposed in Cloisterham to be always black always of great virtue always calling themselves me and everybody else masa or merci according to sex and always reading tracks of the obscurest meaning in broken English but always accurately understanding them in the purest mother tongue he had nearly brought Mrs. Chris Sparkle's grey hairs with sorrow to the grave these original expressions were Mr. Saps's he had repeatedly said he would have Mr. Chris Sparkle's life he had repeatedly said he would have everybody's life and become in effect the last man he had been brought down to Cloisterham from London by an eminent philanthropist and why? because that philanthropist had expressly declared I owe it to my fellow creatures that he should be in the words of Bentham where he is the cause of the greatest danger to the smallest number these dropping shots from the blunderbusses of blunderheadedness might not have hit him in a vital place but he had to stand against a trained and well-directed fire of arms of precision too he had notoriously threatened the lost young man and had according to the showing of his own faithful friend and tutor who strove so hard for him a cause of bitter animosity created by himself and stated by himself against that ill-starred fellow he had armed himself with an offensive weapon for the fatal night and he had gone off early in the morning after making preparations for departure he had been found with traces of blood on him truly they might have been wholly caused as he represented but they might not also on a search warrant being issued for the examination of his room, clothes and so forth it was discovered that he had destroyed all his papers and rearranged all his possessions on the very afternoon of the disappearance the watch found that the wear was challenged by the jeweler as one he had wound and set for Edwin Drude at twenty minutes past two on that same afternoon and it had run down before being cast into the water and it was the jeweler's positive opinion that it had never been rewound this would justify the hypothesis that the watch was taken from him not long after he had left Mr Jasper's house at midnight in company with the last person seen with him and that it had been thrown away after being retained some hours why thrown away? if he had been murdered and so artfully disfigured or concealed or both as that the murderer hoped identification to be impossible except from something that he wore assuredly the murderer would seek to remove from the body the most lasting, the best known and the most easily recognisable things upon it these things would be the watch and shirtpin as to his opportunities of casting them into the river if he were the object of these suspicions they were easy for he had been seen by many persons wandering about on that side of the city indeed on all sides of it in a miserable and seemingly half-distracted manner as to the choice of the spot obviously such criminating evidence had better take its chance of being found anywhere rather than upon himself or in his possession concerning the reconciliatory nature of the appointed meeting between the two young men very little could be made of that in young Landless's favour for it distinctly appeared that the meeting originated not with him but with Mr Chris Sparkle and that it had been urged on by Mr Chris Sparkle and who could say how unwillingly or in what ill-conditioned mood his enforced pupil had gone to it the more his case was looked into the weaker it became in every point even the broad suggestion that the lost young man had absconded was rendered additionally improbable on the showing of the young lady from whom he had so lately parted for what did she say with great earnestness and sorrow when interrogated that he had expressly and enthusiastically planned with her that he should await the arrival of her guardian, Mr Grugius and yet, be it observed, he disappeared before that gentleman arrived on the suspicions thus urged and supported Neville was detained and redetained and the search was pressed on every hand and Jasper laboured night and day but nothing more was found no discovery being made which proved the lost man to be dead it at length became necessary to release the person suspected of having made away with him Neville was set at large then a consequence ensued which Mr Chris Sparkle had too well foreseen Neville must leave the place for the place shunned him and cast him out even had it not been so the dear old China Shepardess would have worried herself to death with fears for her son and with general trepidation occasioned by their having such an inmate even had that not been so the authority to which the minor canon deferred officially would have settled the point Mr Chris Sparkle quote the dean human justice may err but it must act according to its lights the days of taking sanctuary are past this young man must not take sanctuary with us you mean that he must leave my house sir Mr Chris Sparkle returned the prudent dean I claim no authority in your house I merely confer with you on the painful necessity you find yourself under of depriving this young man of the great advantages of your council and instruction it is very lamentable sir Mr Chris Sparkle represented very much so the dean assented and if it be a necessity Mr Chris Sparkle faltered as you unfortunately find it to be returned to the dean Mr Chris Sparkle bowed submissibly it is hard to prejudge his case sir but I am sensible that just so perfectly as you say Mr Chris Sparkle interposed the dean nodding his head smoothly there is nothing else to be done no doubt no doubt there is no alternative as your good sense has discovered I am entirely satisfied of his perfect innocence sir nevertheless well said the dean in a more confidential tone and slightly glancing around him I would not say so generally not generally enough of suspicion attaches to him to no I think I would not say so generally Mr Chris Sparkle bowed again it does not become us perhaps pursue the dean to be partisans not partisans we clergy keep our hearts warm and our heads cool and we hold a judicious middle course I hope you do not object sir to my having stated in public emphatically that he will reappear here whenever any new suspicion may be awakened or any new circumstance may come to light in this extraordinary matter not at all return the dean and yet do you know I don't think with a very nice and neat emphasis on those two words I don't think I would state it emphatically state it yes but emphatically no I think not in point of fact Mr Chris Sparkle keeping our hearts warm and our heads cool we clergy need to do nothing emphatically so minor cannon row knew never landless no more and he went with us so ever he would or could with a blight upon his name and fame it was not until then that John Jasper silently resumed his place in the choir haggard and red-eyed his hopes plainly had deserted him his sanguine mood was gone and all his worst misgivings had come back a day or two afterwards while unrobing he took his diary from a pocket of his coat turned the leaves and with an impressive look and without one spoken word handed this entry to Mr Chris Sparkle to read my dear boy is murdered the discovery of the watch and shirtpin convinces me that he was murdered that night and that his jewellery was taken from him to prevent identification by its means all the delusive hopes I had founded on his separation from his betrothed wife I give to the winds they perish before this fatal discovery I now swear and record the oath on this page that I never more will discuss this mystery with any human creature until I hold the clue to it in my hand that I never will relax in my secrecy or in my search that I will fasten the crime of the murder of my dear dead boy upon the murderer and that I devote myself to his destruction End of Chapter 16 Read by Alan Chant of Tumbridge in Kent, England during the summer of 2008