CHAPTER XXXI. INVOLVES A CRITICAL POSITION

put-upthing?”demandedthedoctor,impatiently. “Wecallitaput-uprobbery,ladies,”saidBlathers,turningtothem,asifhepitiedtheirignorance,buthadacontemptforthedoctor’s,“whentheservantsisinit.” “Nobodysuspectedthem,inthiscase,”saidMrs.Maylie. “Werylikelynot,ma’am,”repliedBlathers“buttheymighthavebeeninit,forallthat.” “Morelikelyonthatweryaccount,”saidDuff. “Wefinditwasatownhand,”saidBlathers,continuinghisreport“forthestyleofworkisfirst-rate.” “Weryprettyindeeditis,”remarkedDuff,inanundertone. “Therewastwoof’eminit,”continuedBlathers“andtheyhadaboywith’emthat’splainfromthesizeofthewindow.That’salltobesaidatpresent.We’llseethisladthatyou’vegotupstairsatonce,ifyouplease.” “Perhapstheywilltakesomethingtodrinkfirst,Mrs.Maylie?”saidthedoctor:hisfacebrightening,asifsomenewthoughthadoccurredtohim. “Oh!tobesure!”exclaimedRose,eagerly.“Youshallhaveitimmediately,ifyouwill.” “Why,thankyou,miss!”saidBlathers,drawinghiscoat-sleeveacrosshismouth“it’sdrywork,thissortofduty.Anythinkthat’shandy,missdon’tputyourselfoutoftheway,onouraccounts.” “Whatshallitbe?”askedthedoctor,followingtheyoungladytothesideboard. “Alittledropofspirits,master,ifit’sallthesame,”repliedBlathers.“It’sacoldridefromLondon,ma’amandIalwaysfindthatspiritscomeshomewarmertothefeelings.” ThisinterestingcommunicationwasaddressedtoMrs.Maylie,whoreceiveditverygraciously.Whileitwasbeingconveyedtoher,thedoctorslippedoutoftheroom. “Ah!”saidMr.Blathers:notholdinghiswine-glassbythestem,butgraspingthebottombetweenthethumbandforefingerofhislefthand:andplacingitinfrontofhischest“Ihaveseenagoodmanypiecesofbusinesslikethis,inmytime,ladies.” “ThatcrackdowninthebacklaneatEdmonton,Blathers,”saidMr.Duff,assistinghiscolleague’smemory. “Thatwassomethinginthisway,warn’tit?”rejoinedMr.Blathers“thatwasdonebyConkeyChickweed,thatwas.” “Youalwaysgavethattohim”repliedDuff.“ItwastheFamilyPet,Itellyou.Conkeyhadn’tanymoretodowithitthanIhad.” “Getout!”retortedMr.Blathers“Iknowbetter.DoyoumindthattimewhenConkeywasrobbedofhismoney,though?Whatastartthatwas!Betterthananynovel-bookIeversee!” “Whatwasthat?”inquiredRose:anxioustoencourageanysymptomsofgood-humourintheunwelcomevisitors. “Itwasarobbery,miss,thathardlyanybodywouldhavebeendownupon,”saidBlathers.“ThishereConkeyChickweed—” “ConkeymeansNosey,ma’am,”interposedDuff. “Ofcoursetheladyknowsthat,don’tshe?”demandedMr.Blathers.“Alwaysinterrupting,youare,partner!ThishereConkeyChickweed,miss,keptapublic-houseoverBattlebridgeway,andhehadacellar,whereagoodmanyyounglordswenttoseecock-fighting,andbadger-drawing,andthatandaweryintellectualmannerthesportswasconductedin,forI’veseen’emoff’en.Hewarn’toneofthefamily,atthattimeandonenighthewasrobbedofthreehundredandtwenty-sevenguineasinacanvasbag,thatwasstoleoutofhisbedroominthedeadofnight,byatallmanwithablackpatchoverhiseye,whohadconcealedhimselfunderthebed,andaftercommittingtherobbery,jumpedslapoutofwindow:whichwasonlyastoryhigh.Hewasweryquickaboutit.ButConkeywasquick,tooforhefiredablunderbussarterhim,androusedtheneighbourhood.Theysetupahue-and-cry,directly,andwhentheycametolookabout’em,foundthatConkeyhadhittherobberfortherewastracesofblood,allthewaytosomepalingsagooddistanceoffandtheretheylost’em.However,hehadmadeoffwiththebluntand,consequently,thenameofMr.Chickweed,licensedwitler,appearedintheGazetteamongtheotherbankruptsandallmannerofbenefitsandsubscriptions,andIdon’tknowwhatall,wasgotupforthepoorman,whowasinawerylowstateofmindabouthisloss,andwentupanddownthestreets,forthreeorfourdays,apullinghishairoffinsuchadesperatemannerthatmanypeoplewasafraidhemightbegoingtomakeawaywithhimself.Onedayhecameuptotheoffice,allinahurry,andhadaprivateinterviewwiththemagistrate,who,afteradealoftalk,ringsthebell,andordersJemSpyersin(Je