After a Shadow and Other Stories Read online

  “How are you, my friend? What’s the news to-day?” And he drew a chair to the table, calling at the same time to a waiter for a glass of ale.

  “I never drink anything stronger than ale,” he added, in a confidential way, not waiting for Green to answer his first remark. “Liquors are so drugged nowadays, that you never know what poison you are taking; besides, tippling is a bad habit, and sets a questionable example. We must, you know, have some regard to the effect of our conduct on weaker people. Man is an imitative animal. By the way, did you see Booth’s Cardinal Wolsey?”

  “Yes.”

  “A splendid piece of acting,—was it not? You remember, after the cardinal’s fall, that noble passage to which he gives utterance. It has been running through my mind ever since:—“‘Mark but my fall, and that that ruined me.

  Cromwell, I charge thee, fling away ambition: By that sin fell the angels; how can man, then, The image of his Maker, hope to win by’t? Love thyself last: Cherish those hearts that hate thee: Corruption wins not more than honesty. Still in thy right hand carry gentle peace, To silence envious tongues; be just, and fear not. Let all the ends thou aim’st at be thy country’s, Thy God’s, and truth’s; then if thou fall’st, O Cromwell, Thou fall’st a blessed martyr.’

  “‘Love thyself last.—Let all the ends thou aim’st at be thy country’s, thy God’s, and truth’s.’ Could a man’s whole duty in life be expressed in fewer words, or said more grandly? I think not.”

  And so he went on, charming the ears of Green, and inspiring him with the belief that he was a person of the purest instincts and noblest ends. While they talked, two young men, strangers to Green came up, and were introduced by Bland as “My very particular friends.” Something about them did not at first impress Martin favorably. But this impression soon wore off, they were so intelligent and agreeable, Bland, after a little while, referred again to the Cardinal Wolsey of Booth, and, drawing a copy of Shakspeare’s Henry VIII. from his pocket, remarked,—

  “If it wasn’t so public here, I’d like to read a few of the best passages in Wolsey’s part.”

  “Can’t we get a private room?” said one of the two young men who had joined Bland and Green. “There are plenty in the house. I’ll see.”

  And away he went to the bar.

  “Come,” he said, returning in a few minutes; and the party followed a waiter up stairs, and were shown into a small room, neatly furnished, though smelling villanously of stale cigar smoke.

  “This is cosy,” was the approving remark of Bland, as they entered. Hats and overcoats were laid aside, and they drew around a table that stood in the centre of the room under the gaslight. A few passages were read from Shakspeare, then drink was ordered by one of the the party. The reading interspersed with critical comments, was again resumed; but the reading soon gave way entire to the comments, which, in a little while, passed from the text of Shakspeare to actors, actresses, prima donnas, and ballet-dancers, the relative merits of which were knowingly discussed for some time. In the midst of this discussion, oysters, in two or three styles, and a smoking dish of terrapin, ordered by a member of the company—which our young friend Green did not know—were brought in, followed by a liberal supply of wine and brandy. Bland expressed surprise, but accepted the entertainment as quite agreeable to himself.

  After the supper, cigars were introduced, and after the cigars, cards. A few games were played for shilling stakes. Green, under the influence of more liquor than his head could bear, and in the midst of companions whose sphere he could not, in consequence, resist, yielded in a new direction for him. Of gambling he had always entertained a virtuous disapproval; yet, ere aware of the direction in which he was drifting, he was staking money at cards, the sums gradually increasing, until from shillings the ventures increased to dollars. Sometimes he won, and sometimes he lost; the winnings stimulating to new trials in the hope of further success, and the losses stimulating to new trials in order to recover, if possible; but, steadily, the tide, for all these little eddies of success, bore him downwards, and losses increased from single dollars to fives, and from fives to tens, his pleasant friend, Bland, supplying whatever he wanted in the most disinterested way, until an aggregate loss of nearly a hundred and fifty dollars sobered and appalled him.

  The salary of Martin Green was only four hundred dollars, every cent of which was expended as fast as earned. A loss of a hundred and fifty dollars was, therefore, a serious and embarrassing matter.

  “I’ll call and see you to-morrow, when we can arrange this little matter,” said Mr. Bland, “on parting with Green at his own door. He spoke pleasantly, but with something in his voice that chilled the nerves of his victim. On the next day while Green stood at his desk, trying to fix his mind upon his work, and do it correctly, his employer said,—

  “Martin, there’s a young man in the store who has asked for you.”

  Green turned and saw the last man on the earth he desired to meet. His pleasant friend of the evening before had called to “arrange that little matter.”

  “Not too soon for you, I hope,” remarked Bland, with his courteous, yet now serious, smile, as he took the victim’s hand.

  “Yes, you are, too soon,” was soberly answered.

  The smile faded off of Bland’s face.

  “When will you arrange it?”

  “In a few days.”

  “But I want the money to-day. It was a simple loan, you know.”

  “I am aware of that, but the amount is larger than I can manage at once,” said Green.

  “Can I have a part to-day?”

  “Not to-day.”

  “To-morrow, then?”

  “I’ll do the best in my power.”

  “Very well. To-morrow, at this time, I will call. Make up the whole sum if possible, for I want it badly.”

  “Do you know that young man?” asked Mr. Phillips, the employer of Green, as the latter came back to his desk. The face of Mr. Phillips was unusually serious.

  “His name is Bland.”

  “Why has he called to see you?” The eyes of Mr. Phillips were fixed intently on his clerk.

  “He merely dropped in. I have met him a few times in company.”

  “Don’t you know his character?”

  “I never heard a word against him,” said Green.

  “Why, Martin!” replied Mr. Phillips, “he has the reputation of being one of the worst young men in our city; a base gambler’s stool-pigeon, some say.”

  “I am glad to know it, sir,” Martin had the presence of mind, in the painful confusion that overwhelmed him, to say, “and shall treat him accordingly.” He went back to his desk, and resumed his work.

  It is the easiest thing in the world to go to astray, but always difficult to return, Martin Green was astray, but how was he to get into the right path again? A barrier that seemed impassable was now lying across the way over which he had passed, a little while before, with lightest footsteps. Alone and unaided, he could not safely get back. The evil spirits that lure a man from virtue never counsel aright when to seek to return. They magnify the perils that beset the road by which alone is safety, and suggest other ways that lead into labyrinths of evil from which escape is sometimes impossible. These spirits were now at the ear of our unhappy young friend, suggesting methods of relief in his embarrassing position.

  If Bland were indeed such a character as Mr. Phillips had represented him, it would be ruin, in his employer’s estimation, to have him call again and again for his debt. But how was he to liquidate that debt? There was nothing due him on account of salary, and there was not a friend or acquaintance to whom he could apply with any hope of borrowing.

  “Man’s extremity is the devil’s opportunity.” It was so in the present case, Green had a number of collections to make on that day, and his evil counsellors suggested his holding back the return of two of these, amounting to his indebtedness, and say that the parties were not yet ready to settle their bills. This would enable him to get
rid of Bland, and gain time. So, acting upon the bad suggestion, he made up his return of collections, omitting the two accounts to which we have referred.

  Now it so happened that one of the persons against whom these accounts stood, met Mr. Phillips as he was returning from dinner in the afternoon, and said to him,—

  “I settled that bill of yours to-day.”

  “That’s right. I wish all my customers were as punctual,” answered Mr. Phillips.

  “I gave your young man a check for a hundred and five dollars.”

  “Thank you.”

  And the two men passed their respective ways.

  On Mr. Phillips’s return to his store, Martin rendered his account of collections, and, to the surprise of his employer, omitted the one in regard to which he had just been notified.

  “Is this all?” he asked, in a tone that sent a thrill of alarm to the guilty heart of his clerk.

  “Yes, sir,” was the not clearly outspoken answer.

  “Didn’t Garland pay?”

  “N-n-o, sir!” The suddenness of this question so confounded Martin, that he could not answer without a betraying hesitation.

  “Martin!” Astonishment, rebuke, and accusation were in the voice of Mr. Phillips as he pronounced his clerk’s name. Martin’s face flushed deeply, and then grew very pale. He stood the image of guilt and fear for some moments, then, drawing out his pocket book, he brought therefrom a small roll of bank bills, and a memorandum slip of paper.

  “I made these collections also.” And he gave the money and memorandum to Mr. Phillips.

  “A hundred and fifty dollars withheld! Martin! Martin! what does this mean?”

  “Heaven is my witness, sir,” answered the young man, with quivering lips, “that I have never wronged you out of a dollar, and had no intention of wronging you now. But I am in a fearful strait. My feet have become suddenly mired, and this was a desperate struggle for extrication—a temporary expedient only, not a premeditated wrong against you.”

  “Sit down, Martin,” said Mr. Phillips, in a grave, but not severe, tone of voice. “Let me understand the case from first to last. Conceal nothing, if you wish to have me for a friend.”

  Thus enjoined, Martin told his humiliating story.

  “If you had not gone into the way of temptation, the betrayer had not found you,” was the remark of Mr. Phillips, when the young man ended his confession. “Do you frequent these eating and drinking saloons?”

  “I go occasionally, sir.”

  “They are neither safe nor reputable, Martin. A young man who frequents them must have the fine tone of his manhood dimmed. There is an atmosphere of impurity about these places. Have you a younger brother?”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “Would you think it good for him, as he emerged from youth to manhood, to visit refectories and billiard saloons?”

  “No, sir, I would do all in my power to prevent it.”

  “Why?”

  “There’s danger in them, sir.”

  “And, knowing this, you went into the way of danger, and have fallen!”

  Martin dropped his eyes to the floor in confusion.

  “Bland is a stool-pigeon and you were betrayed.”

  “What am I to do?” asked the troubled young man. “I am in debt to him.”

  “He will be here to-morrow.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “I will have a policeman ready to receive him.”

  “O, no, no, Sir. Pray don’t do that!” answered Martin, with a distressed look.

  “Why not?” demanded Mr. Phillips.

  “It will ruin me.”

  “How?”

  “Bland will denounce me.”

  “Let him.”

  “I shall be exposed to the policeman.”

  “An evil, but a mild one, compared with that to which you were rushing in order to disentangle yourself. I must have my way, sir. This matter has assumed a serious aspect. You are in my power, and must submit.”

  On the next day, punctual to the hour, Bland called.

  “This is your man,” said Mr. Phillips to his clerk. “Ask him into the counting-room.” Bland, thus invited, walked back. As he entered, Mr. Phillips said,—

  “My clerk owes you a hundred and fifty dollars, I understand.”

  “Yes, sir;” and the villain bowed.

  “Make him out a receipt,” said Mr. Phillips.

  “When I receive the money,” was coldly and resolutely answered. Martin glanced sideways at the face of Bland, and the sudden change in its expression chilled him. The mild, pleasant, virtuous aspect he could so well assume was gone, and he looked more like a fiend than a man. In pictures he had seen eyes such as now gleamed on Mr. Phillips, but never in a living face before.

  The officer, who had been sitting with a newspaper in his hand, now gave his paper a quick rattle as he threw it aside, and, coming forward, stood beside Mr. Phillips, and looked steadily at the face of Bland, over which passed another change: it was less assured, but not less malignant.

  Mr. Phillips took out his pocket-book, and, laying a twenty-dollar bill on the desk by which they were standing, said,—

  “Take this and sign a receipt.”

  “No, sir!” was given with determined emphasis. “I am not to be robbed in this way!”

  “Ned,” the officer now spoke, “take my advice, and sign a receipt.”

  “It’s a cursed swindle!” exclaimed the baffled villain.

  “We will dispense with hard names, sir!” The officer addressed him sternly. “Either take the money, or go. This is not a meeting for parley. I understand you and your operations.”

  A few moments Bland stood, with an irresolute air; then, clutching desperately at a pen, he dashed off a receipt, and was reaching for the money, when Mr. Phillips drew it back, saying,—

  “Wait a moment, until I examine the receipt.” He read it over, and then, pushing it towards Bland, said,—

  “Write ‘In full of all demands.’” A growl was the oral response. Bland took the pen again, and wrote as directed.

  “Take my advice, young man, and adopt a safer and more honorable business,” said Mr. Phillips, as he gave him the twenty-dollar bill.

  “Keep your advice for them that ask it!” was flung back in his face. A look of hate and revenge burned in the fellow’s eyes. After glaring at Mr. Phillips and Martin in a threatening way for several moments, he left more hurriedly than he had entered.

  “And take my advice,” said the officer, laying his hand on Martin’s arm,—he spoke in a warning tone,—”and keep out of that man’s way. He’ll never forgive you. I know him and his prowling gang, and they are a set of as hardened and dangerous villains as can be found in the city. You are ‘spotted’ by them from this day, and they number a dozen at least. So, if you would be safe, avoid their haunts. Give drinking saloons and billiard rooms a wide berth. One experience like this should last you a life-time.”

  Thus Martin escaped from his dangerous entanglement, but never again to hold the unwavering confidence of his employer. Mr. Phillips pitied, but could not trust him fully. A year afterwards came troublesome times, losses in business, and depression in trade. Every man had to retrench. Thousands of clerk condition were apt to be as quick with a blow as with a caress. But, having gained his point, he was amiable.

  “Get your things on and come out. We can take in a roof-garden.”

  “I’ve told you I’m not doing that sort of thing.”

  He was ugly in a flash.

  “You’ve got somebody else on the string.”

  “Honestly, no. There—there has never been anybody else, Palmer.”

  He caught her suddenly and jerked her toward him.

  “You let me hear of anybody else, and I’ll cut the guts out of him!”

  He held her for a second, his face black and fierce. Then, slowly and inevitably, he drew her into his arms. He was drunk, and she knew it. But, in the queer loyalty of her class, he was the only man she had
cared for. She cared now. She took him for that moment, felt his hot kisses on her mouth, her throat, submitted while his rather brutal hands bruised her arms in fierce caresses. Then she put him from her resolutely.

  “Now you’re going.”

  “The hell I’m going!”

  But he was less steady than he had been. The heat of the little flat brought more blood to his head. He wavered as he stood just inside the door.

  “You must go back to your wife.”

  “She doesn’t want me. She’s in love with a fellow at the house.”

  “Palmer, hush!”

  “Lemme come in and sit down, won’t you?”

  She let him pass her into the sitting-room. He dropped into a chair.

  “You’ve turned me down, and now Christine—she thinks I don’t know. I’m no fool; I see a lot of things. I’m no good. I know that I’ve made her miserable. But I made a merry little hell for you too, and you don’t kick about it.”

  “You know that.”

  She was watching him gravely. She had never seen him just like this. Nothing else, perhaps, could have shown her so well what a broken reed he was.

  “I got you in wrong. You were a good girl before I knew you. You’re a good girl now. I’m not going to do you any harm, I swear it. I only wanted to take you out for a good time. I’ve got money. Look here!” He drew out the roll of bills and showed it to her. Her eyes opened wide. She had never known him to have much money.

  “Lots more where that comes from.”

  A new look flashed into her eyes, not cupidity, but purpose.

  She was instantly cunning.

  “Aren’t you going to give me some of that?”

  “What for?”

  “I—I want some clothes.”

  The very drunk have the intuition sometimes of savages or brute beasts.

  “You lie.”

  “I want it for Johnny Rosenfeld.”

  He thrust it back into his pocket, but his hand retained its grasp of it.