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pubOne.info thank you for your continued support and wish to present you this new edition. MR. DAVID GLENNEY CONSULTS HIS MEMORY AND OPENS THE STORY

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Publié par	Pub One Info
Date de parution	23 octobre 2010
Nombre de lectures	0
EAN13	9782819917540
Langue	English

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PART I
MR. DAVID GLENNEY CONSULTS HIS MEMORY AND OPENS THESTORY
CHAPTER I
In the matter of Jezebel's Daughter, myrecollections begin with the deaths of two foreign gentlemen, intwo different countries, on the same day of the same year.
They were both men of some importance in their way,and both strangers to each other.
Mr. Ephraim Wagner, merchant (formerly ofFrankfort-on-the-Main), died in London on the third day ofSeptember, 1828.
Doctor Fontaine - famous in his time for discoveriesin experimental chemistry - died at Wurzburg on the third day ofSeptember, 1828.
Both the merchant and the doctor left widows. Themerchant's widow (an Englishwoman) was childless. The doctor'swidow (of a South German family) had a daughter to console her.
At that distant time - I am writing these lines inthe year 1878, and looking back through half a century - I was alad employed in Mr. Wagner's office. Being his wife's nephew, hemost kindly received me as a member of his household. What I am nowabout to relate I saw with my own eyes and heard with my own ears.My memory is to be depended on. Like other old men, I recollectevents which happened at the beginning of my career far moreclearly than events which happened only two or three yearssince.
Good Mr. Wagner had been ailing for many months; butthe doctors had no immediate fear of his death. He proved thedoctors to be mistaken; and took the liberty of dying at a timewhen they all declared that there was every reasonable hope of hisrecovery. When this affliction fell upon his wife, I was absentfrom the office in London on a business errand to ourbranch-establishment at Frankfort-on-the-Main, directed by Mr.Wagner's partners. The day of my return happened to be the dayafter the funeral. It was also the occasion chosen for the readingof the will. Mr. Wagner, I should add, had been a naturalizedBritish citizen, and his will was drawn by an English lawyer.
The fourth, fifth, and sixth clauses of the will arethe only portions of the document which it is necessary to mentionin this place.
The fourth clause left the whole of the testator'sproperty, in lands and in money, absolutely to his widow. In thefifth clause he added a new proof of his implicit confidence in her- he appointed her sole executrix of his will.
The sixth and last clause began in these words:-
"During my long illness, my dear wife has acted asmy secretary and representative. She has made herself so thoroughlywell acquainted with the system on which I have conducted mybusiness, that she is the fittest person to succeed me. I not onlyprove the fullness of my trust in her and the sincerity of mygratitude towards her, but I really act in the best interests ofthe firm of which I am the head, when I hereby appoint my widow asmy sole successor in the business, with all the powers andprivileges appertaining thereto."
The lawyer and I both looked at my aunt. She hadsunk back in her chair; her face was hidden in her handkerchief. Wewaited respectfully until she might be sufficiently recovered tocommunicate her wishes to us. The expression of her husband's loveand respect, contained in the last words of the will, hadcompletely overwhelmed her. It was only after she had been relievedby a burst of tears that she was conscious of our presence, and wascomposed enough to speak to us.
"I shall be calmer in a few days' time," she said."Come to me at the end of the week. I have something important tosay to both of you."
The lawyer ventured on putting a question. "Does itrelate in any way to the will?" he inquired.
She shook her head. "It relates," she answered, "tomy husband's last wishes.
She bowed to us, and went away to her own room.
The lawyer looked after her gravely and doubtfullyas she disappeared. "My long experience in my profession," he said,turning to me, "has taught me many useful lessons. Your aunt hasjust called one of those lessons to my mind.
"May I ask what it is, sir?"
"Certainly." He took my arm and waited to repeat thelesson until we had left the house; "Always distrust a man's lastwishes on his death-bed - unless they are communicated to hislawyer, and expressed in his will."
At the time, I thought this rather a narrow view totake. How could I foresee that coming events in the future life ofmy aunt would prove the lawyer to be right? If she had only beencontent to leave her husband's plans and projects where he had leftthem at his death, and if she had never taken that rash journey toour branch office at Frankfort - but what is the use of speculatingon what might or might not have happened? My business in thesepages is to describe what did happen. Let me return to mybusiness.
CHAPTER II
At the end of the week we found the widow waiting toreceive us.
To describe her personally, she was a little lady,with a remarkably pretty figure, a clear pale complexion, a broadlow forehead, and large, steady, brightly-intelligent gray eyes.Having married a man very much older than herself, she was still(after many years of wedded life) a notably attractive woman. Butshe never seemed to be conscious of her personal advantages, orvain of the very remarkable abilities which she did unquestionablypossess. Under ordinary circumstances, she was a singularly gentle,unobtrusive creature. But let the occasion call for it, and thereserves of resolution in her showed themselves instantly. In allmy experience I have never met with such a firm woman, when she wasonce roused.
She entered on her business with us, wasting no timein preliminary words. Her face showed plain signs, poor soul, of awakeful and tearful night. But she claimed no indulgence on thataccount. When she spoke of her dead husband - excepting a slightunsteadiness in her voice - she controlled herself with a couragewhich was at once pitiable and admirable to see.
"You both know," she began, "that Mr. Wagner was aman who thought for himself. He had ideas of his duty to his poorand afflicted fellow-creatures which are in advance of receivedopinions in the world about us. I love and revere his memory - and(please God) I mean to carry out his ideas."
The lawyer began to look uneasy. "Do you refer,madam, to Mr. Wagner's political opinions?" he inquired.
Fifty years ago, my old master's political opinionswere considered to be nothing less than revolutionary. In thesedays - when his Opinions have been sanctioned by Acts ofParliament, with the general approval of the nation - people wouldhave called him a "Moderate Liberal," and would have set him downas a discreetly deliberate man in the march of modern progress.
"I have nothing to say about politics," my auntanswered. "I wish to speak to you, in the first place, of myhusband's opinions on the employment of women.
Here, again, after a lapse of half a century, mymaster's heresies of the year 1828 have become the orthodoxprinciples of the year 1878. Thinking the subject over in his ownindependent way, he had arrived at the conclusion that there weremany employments reserved exclusively for men, which might withperfect propriety be also thrown open to capable and deservingwomen. To recognize the claims of justice was, with a man of Mr.Wagner's character, to act on his convictions without a moment'sneedless delay. Enlarging his London business at the time, hedivided the new employments at his disposal impartially between menand women alike. The scandal produced in the city by this daringinnovation is remembered to the present day by old men like me. Mymaster's audacious experiment prospered nevertheless, in spite ofscandal.
"If my husband had lived," my aunt continued, "itwas his intention to follow the example, which he has already setin London, in our house at Frankfort. There also our business isincreasing, and we mean to add to the number of our clerks. As soonas I am able to exert myself, I shall go to Frankfort, and giveGerman women the same opportunities which my husband has alreadygiven to English women in London. I have his notes on the bestmanner of carrying out this reform to guide me. And I think ofsending you, David," she added, turning to me, "to our partners inFrankfort, Mr. Keller and Mr. Engelman, with instructions whichwill keep some of the vacant situations in the office open, until Ican follow you." She paused, and looked at the lawyer. "Do you seeany objection to what I propose?" she said.
"I see some risks," he answered, cautiously.
"What risks?"
"In London, madam, the late Mr. Wagner had specialmeans of investigating the characters of the women whom he tookinto his office. It may not be so easy for you, in a strange placelike Frankfort, to guard against the danger - - " He hesitated, ata loss for the moment to express himself with sufficient plainnessand sufficient delicacy.
My aunt made no allowances for hisembarrassment.
"Don't be afraid to speak out, sir," she said, alittle coldly. "What danger are you afraid of?"
"Yours is a generous nature, madam: and generousnatures are easily imposed upon. I am afraid of women with badcharacters, or, worse still, of other women - - "
He stopped again. This time there was a positiveinterruption. We heard a knock at the door.
Our head-clerk was the person who presented himselfat the summons to come in. My aunt held up her hand. "Excuse me,Mr. Hartrey - I will attend to you in one moment." She turned tothe lawyer. "What other women are likely to impose on me?" sheasked.
"Women, otherwise worthy of your kindness, who maybe associated with disreputable connections," the lawyer replied."The very women, if I know anything of your quick sympathies, whomyou would be most anxious to help, and who might nevertheless be asource of constant trouble and anxiety, under pernicious influencesat home."
My aunt made no answer. For the moment, the lawyer'sobjections seemed to annoy her. She addressed herself to Mr.Hartrey; asking rather abruptly what he had to say to her.
Our head-clerk was a methodical gentleman of