The Royal East London Volunteers made a brilliant sight that day:
formed into lines, squares, circles, triangles, and what not, tothe beating of drums, and the streaming of flags; and performed avast number of complex evolutions, in all of which Serjeant Vardenbore a conspicuous share. Having displayed their military prowessto the utmost in these warlike shows, they marched in glitteringorder to the Chelsea Bun House, and regaled in the adjacent tavernsuntil dark. Then at sound of drum they fell in again, andreturned amidst the shouting of His Majesty"s lieges to the placefrom whence they came.
The homeward march being somewhat tardy,--owing to the unsoldierlikebehaviour of certain corporals, who, being gentlemen ofsedentary pursuits in private life and excitable out of doors,broke several windows with their bayonets, and rendered itimperative on the commanding officer to deliver them over to astrong guard, with whom they fought at intervals as they camealong,--it was nine o"clock when the locksmith reached home. Ahackney-coach was waiting near his door; and as he passed it, MrHaredale looked from the window and called him by his name.
"The sight of you is good for sore eyes, sir," said the locksmith,stepping up to him. "I wish you had walked in though, rather thanwaited here."
"There is nobody at home, I find," Mr Haredale answered; "besides,I desired to be as private as I could."
"Humph!" muttered the locksmith, looking round at his house.
"Gone with Simon Tappertit to that precious Branch, no doubt."
Mr Haredale invited him to come into the coach, and, if he were nottired or anxious to go home, to ride with him a little way thatthey might have some talk together. Gabriel cheerfully complied,and the coachman mounting his box drove off.
"Varden," said Mr Haredale, after a minute"s pause, "you will beamazed to hear what errand I am on; it will seem a very strangeone."
"I have no doubt it"s a reasonable one, sir, and has a meaning init," replied the locksmith; "or it would not be yours at all. Haveyou just come back to town, sir?"
"But half an hour ago."
"Bringing no news of Barnaby, or his mother?" said the locksmithdubiously. "Ah! you needn"t shake your head, sir. It was a wild-goose chase. I feared that, from the first. You exhausted allreasonable means of discovery when they went away. To begin againafter so long a time has passed is hopeless, sir--quite hopeless."
"Why, where are they?" he returned impatiently. "Where can theybe? Above ground?"
"God knows," rejoined the locksmith, "many that I knew above itfive years ago, have their beds under the grass now. And the worldis a wide place. It"s a hopeless attempt, sir, believe me. Wemust leave the discovery of this mystery, like all others, to time,and accident, and Heaven"s pleasure."
"Varden, my good fellow," said Mr Haredale, "I have a deepermeaning in my present anxiety to find them out, than you canfathom. It is not a mere whim; it is not the casual revival of myold wishes and desires; but an earnest, solemn purpose. Mythoughts and dreams all tend to it, and fix it in my mind. I haveno rest by day or night; I have no peace or quiet; I am haunted."
His voice was so altered from its usual tones, and his mannerbespoke so much emotion, that Gabriel, in his wonder, could onlysit and look towards him in the darkness, and fancy the expressionof his face.
"Do not ask me," continued Mr Haredale, "to explain myself. If Iwere to do so, you would think me the victim of some hideous fancy.
It is enough that this is so, and that I cannot--no, I can not--liequietly in my bed, without doing what will seem to youincomprehensible."
"Since when, sir," said the locksmith after a pause, "has thisuneasy feeling been upon you?"
Mr Haredale hesitated for some moments, and then replied: "Sincethe night of the storm. In short, since the last nineteenth ofMarch."
As though he feared that Varden might express surprise, or reasonwith him, he hastily went on:
"You will think, I know, I labour under some delusion. Perhaps Ido. But it is not a morbid one; it is a wholesome action of themind, reasoning on actual occurrences. You know the furnitureremains in Mrs Rudge"s house, and that it has been shut up, by myorders, since she went away, save once a-week or so, when an oldneighbour visits it to scare away the rats. I am on my way therenow."
"For what purpose?" asked the locksmith.
"To pass the night there," he replied; "and not to-night alone, butmany nights. This is a secret which I trust to you in case of anyunexpected emergency. You will not come, unless in case of strongnecessity, to me; from dusk to broad day I shall be there. Emma,your daughter, and the rest, suppose me out of London, as I havebeen until within this hour. Do not undeceive them. This is theerrand I am bound upon. I know I may confide it to you, and I relyupon your questioning me no more at this time."