"'I have heard,' said Williams, 'the history of this Welbeck a score of
times from my brother. There formerly subsisted a very intimate
connection between them. My brother had conferred, upon one whom he
thought honest, innumerable benefits; but all his benefits had been
repaid by the blackest treachery. Welbeck's character and guilt had
often been made the subject of talk between us, but, on these occasions,
my brother's placid and patient temper forsook him. His grief for the
calamities which had sprung from this man, and his desire of revenge,
burst all bounds, and transported him to a pitch of temporary frenzy. I
often inquired in what manner he intended to act if a meeting should
take place between them. He answered, that doubtless he should act like
a maniac, in defiance of his sober principles, and of the duty which he
owed his family. "'What! (said I,) would you stab or pistol him? "'No. I was not born for an assassin. I would upbraid him in such terms
as the furious moment might suggest, and then challenge him to a
meeting, from which either he or I should not part with life. I would
allow time for him to make his peace with Heaven, and for me to blast
his reputation upon earth, and to make such provision for my possible
death as duty and discretion would prescribe. "'Now, nothing is more probable than that Welbeck and my brother have
met. Thetford would of course mention his name and interest in the
captured ship, and hence the residence of this detested being in this
city would be made known. Their meeting could not take place without
some dreadful consequence. I am fearful that to that meeting we must
impute the disappearance of my brother.' CHAPTER XXVII. "Here was new light thrown upon the character of Welbeck, and new food
administered to my suspicions. No conclusion could be more plausible
than that which Williams had drawn; but how should it be rendered
certain? Walter Thetford, or some of his family, had possibly been
witnesses of something, which, added to our previous knowledge, might
strengthen or prolong that clue, one end of which seemed now to be put
into our hands; but Thetford's father-in-law was the only one of his
family, who, by seasonable flight from the city, had escaped the
pestilence. To him, who still resided in the country, I repaired with
all speed, accompanied by Williams. "The old man, being reminded, by a variety of circumstances, of the
incidents of that eventful period, was, at length, enabled to relate
that he had been present at the meeting which took place between Watson
and his son Walter, when certain packets were delivered by the former,
relative, as he quickly understood, to the condemnation of a ship in
which Thomas Thetford had gone supercargo. He had noticed some emotion
of the stranger, occasioned by his son's mentioning the concern which
Welbeck had in the vessel. He likewise remembered the stranger's
declaring his intention of visiting Welbeck, and requesting Walter to
afford him directions to his house. "'Next morning at the breakfast-table,' continued the old man, 'I
adverted to yesterday's incidents, and asked my son how Welbeck had
borne the news of the loss of his ship. "He bore it," said Walter, "as a
man of his wealth ought to bear so trivial a loss. But there was
something very strange in his behaviour," says my son, "when I mentioned
the name of the captain who brought the papers; and, when I mentioned
the captain's design of paying him a visit, he stared upon me, for a
moment, as if he were frighted out of his wits, and then, snatching up
his hat, ran furiously out of the house." This was all my son said upon
that occasion; but, as I have since heard, it was on that very night
that Welbeck absconded from his creditors.' "I have this moment returned from this interview with old Thetford. I
come to you, because I thought it possible that Mervyn, agreeably to
your expectations, had returned, and I wanted to see the lad once more. My suspicions with regard to him have been confirmed, and a warrant was
this day issued for apprehending him as Welbeck's accomplice." I was startled by this news. "My friend," said I, "be cautious how you
act, I beseech you. You know not in what evils you may involve the
innocent. Mervyn I know to be blameless; but Welbeck is indeed a
villain. The latter I shall not be sorry to see brought to justice; but
the former, instead of meriting punishment, is entitled to rewards." "So you believe, on the mere assertion of the boy, perhaps, his
plausible lies might produce the same effect upon me; but I must stay
till he thinks proper to exert his skill. The suspicions to which he is
exposed will not easily be obviated; but, if he has any thing to say in
his defence, his judicial examination will afford him the suitable
opportunity. Why are you so much afraid to subject his innocence to this
test? It was not till you heard his tale that your own suspicions were
removed. Allow me the same privilege of unbelief. "But you do me wrong, in deeming me the cause of his apprehension. It is
Jamieson and Thetford's work, and they have not proceeded on shadowy
surmises and the impulses of mere revenge. Facts have come to light of
which you are wholly unaware, and which, when known to you, will conquer
even your incredulity as to the guilt of Mervyn." "Facts? Let me know them, I beseech you. If Mervyn has deceived me,
there is an end to my confidence in human nature. All limits to
dissimulation, and all distinctness between vice and virtue, will be
effaced. No man's word, nor force of collateral evidence, shall weigh
with me a hair." "It was time," replied my friend, "that your confidence in smooth
features and fluent accents should have ended long ago. Till I gained
from my present profession some knowledge of the world, a knowledge
which was not gained in a moment, and has not cost a trifle, I was
equally wise in my own conceit; and, in order to decide upon the truth
of any one's pretensions, needed only a clear view of his face and a
distinct hearing of his words. My folly, in that respect, was only to be
cured, however, by my own experience, and I suppose your credulity will
yield to no other remedy. These are the facts:--

"Mrs. Wentworth, the proprietor of the house in which Welbeck lived, has
furnished some intelligence respecting Mervyn, whose truth cannot be
doubted, and which furnishes the strongest evidence of a conspiracy
between this lad and his employer. It seems that, some years since, a
nephew of this lady left his father's family clandestinely, and has not
been heard of since. This nephew was intended to inherit her fortunes,
and her anxieties and inquiries respecting him have been endless and
incessant. These, however, have been fruitless.