tepbeforeyouknoweveryinchoftheway.Youhaven’tasheetofpaperandapen-and-ink?”
“Ihopeso,”andIproducedwritingmaterialswithalacrityforIguessedwhathewasgoingtodo.Hesatdown,wroteafewlines,folded,sealed,andaddressedaletter,andhelditouttome.
“There,Prudence,there’sapioneertohewdownthefirstroughdifficultiesofyourpath.Iknowwellenough,lad,youarenotoneofthosewhowillruntheirneckintoanoosewithoutseeinghowtheyaretogetitoutagain,andyou’rerightthere.Arecklessmanismyaversion,andnothingshouldeverpersuademetomeddlewiththeconcernsofsuchaone.Thosewhoarerecklessforthemselvesaregenerallytentimesmoresofortheirfriends.”
“Thisisaletterofintroduction,Isuppose?”saidI,takingtheepistle.
“Yes.Withthatinyourpocketyouwillrunnoriskoffindingyourselfinastateofabsolutedestitution,which,Iknow,youwillregardasadegradation—soshouldI,forthatmatter.Thepersontowhomyouwillpresentitgenerallyhastwoorthreerespectableplacesdependinguponhisrecommendation.”
“Thatwilljustsuitme,”saidI.
“Well,andwhere’syourgratitude?”demandedMr.Hunsden“don’tyouknowhowtosay‘Thankyou?’”
“I’vefifteenpoundsandawatch,whichmygodmother,whomIneversaw,gavemeeighteenyearsago,”wasmyratherirrelevantanswerandIfurtheravowedmyselfahappyman,andprofessedthatIdidnotenvyanybeinginChristendom.
“Butyourgratitude?”
“Ishallbeoffpresently,Mr.Hunsden—to-morrow,ifallbewell:I’llnotstayadaylongerinX——thanI’mobliged.”
“Verygood—butitwillbedecenttomakedueacknowledgmentfortheassistanceyouhavereceivedbequick!Itisjustgoingtostrikeseven:I’mwaitingtobethanked.”
“Juststandoutoftheway,willyou,Mr.Hunsden:Iwantakeythereisonthecornerofthemantelpiece.I’llpackmyportmanteaubeforeIgotobed.”
Thehouseclockstruckseven.
“Theladisaheathen,”saidHunsden,andtakinghishatfromasideboard,helefttheroom,laughingtohimself.Ihadhalfaninclinationtofollowhim:IreallyintendedtoleaveX——thenextmorning,andshouldcertainlynothaveanotheropportunityofbiddinghimgood-bye.Thefrontdoorbangedto.
“Lethimgo,”saidI,“weshallmeetagainsomeday.”