Hunted Down.docx
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Hunted Down.docx
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HuntedDown
HuntedDownbyCharlesDickensI.
Mostofusseesomeromancesinlife.InmycapacityasChiefManagerofaLifeAssuranceOffice,IthinkIhavewithinthelastthirtyyearsseenmoreromancesthanthegeneralityofmen,howeverunpromisingtheopportunitymay,atfirstsight,seem.
AsIhaveretired,andliveatmyease,IpossessthemeansthatIusedtowant,ofconsideringwhatIhaveseen,atleisure.Myexperienceshaveamoreremarkableaspect,soreviewed,thantheyhadwhentheywereinprogress.IhavecomehomefromthePlaynow,andcanrecallthescenesoftheDramauponwhichthecurtainhasfallen,freefromtheglare,bewilderment,andbustleoftheTheatre.
LetmerecalloneoftheseRomancesoftherealworld.
Thereisnothingtruerthanphysiognomy,takeninconnectionwithmanner.TheartofreadingthatbookofwhichEternalWisdomobligeseveryhumancreaturetopresenthisorherownpagewiththeindividualcharacterwrittenonit,isadifficultone,perhaps,andislittlestudied.Itmayrequiresomenaturalaptitude,anditmustrequire(foreverythingdoes)somepatienceandsomepains.Thatthesearenotusuallygiventoit,-thatnumbersofpeopleacceptafewstockcommonplaceexpressionsofthefaceasthewholelistofcharacteristics,andneitherseeknorknowtherefinementsthataretruest,-thatYou,forinstance,giveagreatdealoftimeandattentiontothereadingofmusic,Greek,Latin,French,Italian,Hebrew,ifyouplease,anddonotqualifyyourselftoreadthefaceofthemasterormistresslookingoveryourshoulderteachingittoyou,-Iassumetobefivehundredtimesmoreprobablethanimprobable.Perhapsalittleself-sufficiencymaybeatthebottomofthis;facialexpressionrequiresnostudyfromyou,youthink;itcomesbynaturetoyoutoknowenoughaboutit,andyouarenottobetakenin.
Iconfess,formypart,thatIHAVEbeentakenin,overandoveragain.Ihavebeentakeninbyacquaintances,andIhavebeentakenin(ofcourse)byfriends;faroftenerbyfriendsthanbyanyotherclassofpersons.HowcameItobesodeceived?
HadIquitemisreadtheirfaces?
No.Believeme,myfirstimpressionofthosepeople,foundedonfaceandmanneralone,wasinvariablytrue.Mymistakewasinsufferingthemtocomenearertomeandexplainthemselvesaway.
II.
ThepartitionwhichseparatedmyownofficefromourgeneralouterofficeintheCitywasofthickplate-glass.Icouldseethroughitwhatpassedintheouteroffice,withouthearingaword.Ihaditputupinplaceofawallthathadbeenthereforyears,-eversincethehousewasbuilt.ItisnomatterwhetherIdidordidnotmakethechangeinorderthatImightderivemyfirstimpressionofstrangers,whocametousonbusiness,fromtheirfacesalone,withoutbeinginfluencedbyanythingtheysaid.
EnoughtomentionthatIturnedmyglasspartitiontothataccount,andthataLifeAssuranceOfficeisatalltimesexposedtobepractiseduponbythemostcraftyandcruelofthehumanrace.
ItwasthroughmyglasspartitionthatIfirstsawthegentlemanwhosestoryIamgoingtotell.
Hehadcomeinwithoutmyobservingit,andhadputhishatandumbrellaonthebroadcounter,andwasbendingoverittotakesomepapersfromoneoftheclerks.Hewasaboutfortyorso,dark,exceedinglywelldressedinblack,-beinginmourning,-andthehandheextendedwithapoliteair,hadaparticularlywell-fittingblack-kidgloveuponit.Hishair,whichwaselaboratelybrushedandoiled,waspartedstraightupthemiddle;andhepresentedthispartingtotheclerk,exactly(tomythinking)asifhehadsaid,insomanywords:
'Youmusttakeme,ifyouplease,myfriend,justasIshowmyself.Comestraightuphere,followthegravelpath,keepoffthegrass,Iallownotrespassing.'
IconceivedaverygreataversiontothatmanthemomentIthussawhim.
Hehadaskedforsomeofourprintedforms,andtheclerkwasgivingthemtohimandexplainingthem.Anobligedandagreeablesmilewasonhisface,andhiseyesmetthoseoftheclerkwithasprightlylook.(Ihaveknownavastquantityofnonsensetalkedaboutbadmennotlookingyouintheface.Don'ttrustthatconventionalidea.Dishonestywillstarehonestyoutofcountenance,anydayintheweek,ifthereisanythingtobegotbyit.)Isaw,inthecornerofhiseyelash,thathebecameawareofmylookingathim.Immediatelyheturnedthepartinginhishairtowardtheglasspartition,asifhesaidtomewithasweetsmile,'Straightuphere,ifyouplease.Offthegrass!
'
Inafewmomentshehadputonhishatandtakenuphisumbrella,andwasgone.
Ibeckonedtheclerkintomyroom,andasked,'Whowasthat?
'
Hehadthegentleman'scardinhishand.'Mr.JuliusSlinkton,MiddleTemple.'
'Abarrister,Mr.Adams?
'
'Ithinknot,sir.'
'Ishouldhavethoughthimaclergyman,butforhishavingnoReverendhere,'saidI.
'Probably,fromhisappearance,'Mr.Adamsreplied,'heisreadingfororders.'
Ishouldmentionthatheworeadaintywhitecravat,anddaintylinenaltogether.
'Whatdidhewant,Mr.Adams?
'
'Merelyaformofproposal,sir,andformofreference.'
'Recommendedhere?
Didhesay?
'
'Yes,hesaidhewasrecommendedherebyafriendofyours.Henoticedyou,butsaidthatashehadnotthepleasureofyourpersonalacquaintancehewouldnottroubleyou.'
'Didheknowmyname?
'
'Oyes,sir!
Hesaid,"ThereISMr.Sampson,Isee!
"'
'Awell-spokengentleman,apparently?
'
'Remarkablyso,sir.'
'Insinuatingmanners,apparently?
'
'Verymuchso,indeed,sir.'
'Hah!
'saidI.'Iwantnothingatpresent,Mr.Adams.'
WithinafortnightofthatdayIwenttodinewithafriendofmine,amerchant,amanoftaste,whobuyspicturesandbooks,andthefirstmanIsawamongthecompanywasMr.JuliusSlinkton.
Therehewas,standingbeforethefire,withgoodlargeeyesandanopenexpressionofface;butstill(Ithought)requiringeverybodytocomeathimbythepreparedwayheoffered,andbynoother.
InoticedhimaskmyfriendtointroducehimtoMr.Sampson,andmyfrienddidso.Mr.Slinktonwasveryhappytoseeme.Nottoohappy;therewasnoover-doingofthematter;happyinathoroughlywell-bred,perfectlyunmeaningway.
'Ithoughtyouhadmet,'ourhostobserved.
'No,'saidMr.Slinkton.'IdidlookinatMr.Sampson'soffice,onyourrecommendation;butIreallydidnotfeeljustifiedintroublingMr.Sampsonhimself,onapointintheeveryday,routineofanordinaryclerk.'
IsaidIshouldhavebeengladtoshowhimanyattentiononourfriend'sintroduction.
'Iamsureofthat,'saidhe,'andammuchobliged.Atanothertime,perhaps,Imaybelessdelicate.Only,however,ifIhaverealbusiness;forIknow,Mr.Sampson,howpreciousbusinesstimeis,andwhatavastnumberofimpertinentpeoplethereareintheworld.'
Iacknowledgedhisconsiderationwithaslightbow.'Youwerethinking,'saidI,'ofeffectingapolicyonyourlife.'
'Odearno!
IamafraidIamnotsoprudentasyoupaymethecomplimentofsupposingmetobe,Mr.Sampson.Imerelyinquiredforafriend.Butyouknowwhatfriendsareinsuchmatters.
Nothingmayevercomeofit.Ihavethegreatestreluctancetotroublemenofbusinesswithinquiriesforfriends,knowingtheprobabilitiestobeathousandtoonethatthefriendswillneverfollowthemup.Peoplearesofickle,soselfish,soinconsiderate.Don'tyou,inyourbusiness,findthemsoeveryday,Mr.Sampson?
'
Iwasgoingtogiveaqualifiedanswer;butheturnedhissmooth,whitepartingonmewithits'Straightuphere,ifyouplease!
'andIanswered'Yes.'
'Ihear,Mr.Sampson,'heresumedpresently,forourfriendhadanewcook,anddinnerwasnotsopunctualasusual,'thatyourprofessionhasrecentlysufferedagreatloss.'
'Inmoney?
'saidI.
Helaughedatmyreadyassociationoflosswithmoney,andreplied,'No,intalentandvigour.'
Notatoncefollowingouthisallusion,Iconsideredforamoment.
'HASitsustainedalossofthatkind?
'saidI.'Iwasnotawareofit.'
'Understandme,Mr.Sampson.Idon'timaginethatyouhaveretired.Itisnotsobadasthat.ButMr.Meltham-'
'O,tobesure!
'saidI.'Yes!
Mr.Meltham,theyoungactuaryofthe"Inestimable."'
'Justso,'hereturnedinaconsolingway.
'Heisagreatloss.Hewasatoncethemostprofound,themostoriginal,andthemostenergeticmanIhaveeverknownconnectedwithLifeAssurance.'
Ispokestrongly;forIhadahighesteemandadmirationforMeltham;andmygentlemanhadindefinitelyconveyedtomesomesuspicionthathewantedtosneerathim.Herecalledmetomyguardbypresentingthattrimpathwayuphishead,withitsinternal'Notonthegrass,ifyouplease-thegravel.'
'Youknewhim,Mr.Slinkton.'
'Onlybyreputation.Tohaveknownhimasanacquaintanceorasafriend,isanhonourIshouldhavesoughtifhehadremainedinsociety,thoughImightneverhavehadthegoodfortunetoattainit,beingamanoffarinferiormark.Hewasscarcelyabovethirty,Isuppose?
'
'Aboutthirty.'
'Ah!
'hesighedinhisformerconsolingway.'Whatcreaturesweare!
Tobreakup,Mr.Sampson,andbecomeincapableofbusinessatthattimeoflife!
-Anyreasonassignedforthemelancholyfact?
'
('Humph!
'thoughtI,asIlookedathim.'ButIWON'Tgoupthetrack,andIWILLgoonthegrass.')'Whatreasonhaveyouheardassigned,Mr.Slinkton?
'Iasked,point-blank.
'Mostlikelyafalseone.YouknowwhatRumouris,Mr.Sampson.IneverrepeatwhatIhear;itistheonlywayofparingthenailsandshavingtheheadofRumour.ButwhenYOUaskmewhatreasonIhaveheardassignedforMr.Meltham'spassingawayfromamongmen,itisanotherthing.Iamnotgratifyingidlegossipthen.Iwastold,Mr.Sampson,thatMr.Melthamhadrelinqui
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