The Confidence-Man His Masquerade

THE CONFIDENCE-MAN: HIS MASQUERADE

no lethargy of monopoly. We should have no mission-house or tract-house of which slanderers could, with any plausibility, say that it had degenerated in its clerkships into a sort of custom-house. But the main point is the Archimedean moneypower that would be brought to bear.”

“You mean the eight hundred million power?”

“Yes. You see, this doing good to the world by driblets amounts to just nothing. I am for doing good to the world with a will. I am for doing good to the world once for all and having done with it. Do but think, my dear sir, of the eddies and maëlstroms of pagans in China. People here have no conception of it. Of a frosty morning in Hong Kong, pauper pagans are found dead in the streets like so many nipped peas in a bin of peas. To be an immortal being in China is no more distinction than to be a snow-flake in a snow-squall. What are a score or two of missionaries to such a people? A pinch of snuff to the kraken. I am for sending ten thousand missionaries in a body and converting the Chinese en masse within six months of the debarkation. The thing is then done, and turn to something else.”

“I fear you are too enthusiastic.”

“A philanthropist is necessarily an enthusiast; for without enthusiasm what was ever achieved but commonplace? But again: consider the poor in London. To that mob of misery, what is a joint here and a loaf there? I am for voting to them twenty thousand bullocks and one hundred thousand barrels of flour to begin with. They are then comforted, and no more hunger for one while among the poor of London. And so all round.”

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“Sharing the character of your general project, these things, I take it, are rather examples of wonders that were to be wished, than wonders that will happen.”

“And is the age of wonders passed? Is the world too old? Is it barren? Think of Sarah.”

“Then I am Abraham reviling the angel (with a smile). But still, as to your design at large, there seems a certain audacity.” “But if to the audacity of the design there be brought a com-

mensurate circumspectness of execution, how then?”

“Why, do you really believe that your world’s charity will ever go into operation?”

“I have confidence that it will.”

“But may you not be over-confident?” “For a Christian to talk so!”

“But think of the obstacles!”

“Obstacles? I have confidence to remove obstacles, though mountains. Yes, confidence in the world’s charity to that degree, that, as no better person offers to supply the place, I have nominated myself provisional treasurer, and will be happy to receive subscriptions, for the present to be devoted to striking off a million more of my prospectuses.”

The talk went on; the man in gray revealed a spirit of benevolence which, mindful of the millennial promise, had gone abroad over all the countries of the globe, much as the diligent spirit of the husbandman, stirred by forethought of the coming seed-time, leads him, in March reveries at his fireside, over every field of his farm. The master chord of the man in gray had been touched, and it seemed as if it would never cease vibrating. A not unsilvery tongue, too, was his, with gestures

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CHAPTER VIII

A CHARITABLE LADY

If a drunkard in a sober fit is the dullest of mortals, an enthusiast in a reason-fit is not the most lively. And this, without prejudice to his greatly improved understanding; for, if his elation was the height of his madness, his despondency is but the extreme of his sanity. Something thus now, to all appearance, with the man in gray. Society his stimulus, loneliness was his lethargy. Loneliness, like the sea breeze, blowing off from a thousand leagues of blankness, he did not find, as veteran solitaires do, if anything, too bracing. In short, left to himself, with none to charm forth his latent lymphatic, he insensibly resumes his original air, a quiescent one, blended of sad humility and demureness.

Ere long he goes laggingly into the ladies’ saloon, as in spiritless quest of somebody; but, after some disappointed glances about him, seats himself upon a sofa with an air of melancholy exhaustion and depression.

At the sofa’s further end sits a plump and pleasant person, whose aspect seems to hint that, if she have any weak point, it must be anything rather than her excellent heart. From her twilight dress, neither dawn nor dark, apparently she is a widow just breaking the chrysalis of her mourning. A small gilt testament is in her hand, which she has just been reading.

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THE CONFIDENCE-MAN: HIS MASQUERADE

Half-relinquished, she holds the book in reverie, her finger inserted at the xiii. of 1st Corinthians, to which chapter possibly her attention might have recently been turned, by witnessing the scene of the monitory mute and his slate.

The sacred page no longer meets her eye; but, as at evening, when for a time the western hills shine on though the sun be set, her thoughtful face retains its tenderness though the teacher is forgotten.

Meantime, the expression of the stranger is such as ere long to attract her glance. But no responsive one. Presently, in her somewhat inquisitive survey, her volume drops. It is restored. No encroaching politeness in the act, but kindness, unadorned. The eyes of the lady sparkle. Evidently, she is not now unprepossessed. Soon, bending over, in a low, sad tone, full of deference, the stranger breathes, “Madam, pardon my freedom, but there is something in that face which strangely draws me. May I ask, are you a sister of the Church?”

“Why – really – you – “

In concern for her embarrassment, he hastens to relieve it, but, without seeming so to do. “It is very solitary for a brother here,” eying the showy ladies brocaded in the background, “I find none to mingle souls with. It may be wrong – I know it is – but I cannot force myself to be easy with the people of the world. I prefer the company, however silent, of a brother or sister in good standing. By the way, madam, may I ask if you have confidence?”

“Really, sir – why, sir – really – I – “

“Could you put confidence in me for instance?”

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“Really, sir – as much – I mean, as one may wisely put in a – a – stranger, an entire stranger, I had almost said,” rejoined the lady, hardly yet at ease in her affability, drawing aside a little in body, while at the same time her heart might have been drawn as far the other way. A natural struggle between charity and prudence.

“Entire stranger!” with a sigh. “Ah, who would be a stranger? In vain, I wander; no one will have confidence in me.”

“You interest me,” said the good lady, in mild surprise. “Can I any way befriend you?”

“No one can befriend me, who has not confidence.”

“But I – I have – at least to that degree – I mean that – “ “Nay, nay, you have none – none at all. Pardon, I see it. No

confidence. Fool, fond fool that I am to seek it!”

“You are unjust, sir,” rejoins the good lady with heightened interest; “but it may be that something untoward in your experiences has unduly biased you. Not that I would cast reflections. Believe me, I – yes, yes – I may say – that – that – “

“That you have confidence? Prove it. Let me have twenty dollars.”

“Twenty dollars!”

“There, I told you, madam, you had no confidence.”

The lady was, in an extraordinary way, touched. She sat in a sort of restless torment, knowing not which way to turn. She began twenty different sentences, and left off at the first syllable of each. At last, in desperation, she hurried out, “Tell me, sir, for what you want the twenty dollars?”

“And did I not – “ then glancing at her half-mourning, “for the widow and the fatherless. I am traveling agent of the

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THE CONFIDENCE-MAN: HIS MASQUERADE

Widow and Orphan Asylum, recently founded among the Seminoles.”

“And why did you not tell me your object before?” As not a little relieved. “Poor souls – Indians, too – those cruellyused Indians. Here, here; how could I hesitate. I am so sorry it is no more.”

“Grieve not for that, madam,” rising and folding up the bank-notes. “This is an inconsiderable sum, I admit, but,” taking out his pencil and book, “though I here but register the amount, there is another register, where is set down the motive. Good-bye; you have confidence. Yea, you can say to me as the apostle said to the Corinthians, ‘I rejoice that I have confidence in you in all things.’”

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CHAPTER IX

TWO BUSINESS MEN

TRANSACT A LITTLE BUSINESS

– “Pray, sir, have you seen a gentleman with a weed hereabouts, rather a saddish gentleman? Strange where he can have gone to. I was talking with him not twenty minutes since.”

By a brisk, ruddy-cheeked man in a tasseled traveling-cap, carrying under his arm a ledger-like volume, the above words were addressed to the collegian before introduced, suddenly accosted by the rail to which not long after his retreat, as in a previous chapter recounted, he had returned, and there remained.

“Have you seen him, sir?”

Rallied from his apparent diffidence by the genial jauntiness of the stranger, the youth answered with unwonted promptitude: “Yes, a person with a weed was here not very long ago.”

“Saddish?”

“Yes, and a little cracked, too, I should say.”

“It was he. Misfortune, I fear, has disturbed his brain. Now quick, which way did he go?”

“Why just in the direction from which you came, the gangway yonder.”

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“Did he? Then the man in the gray coat, whom I just met, said right: he must have gone ashore. How unlucky!”

He stood vexedly twitching at his cap-tassel, which fell over by his whisker, and continued: “Well, I am very sorry. In fact, I had something for him here.” – Then drawing nearer, “you see, he applied to me for relief, no, I do him injustice, not that, but he began to intimate, you understand. Well, being very busy just then, I declined; quite rudely, too, in a cold, morose, unfeeling way, I fear. At all events, not three minutes afterwards I felt self-reproach, with a kind of prompting, very peremptory, to deliver over into that unfortunate man’s hands a ten-dollar bill. You smile. Yes, it may be superstition, but I can’t help it; I have my weak side, thank God. Then again,” he rapidly went on, “we have been so very prosperous lately in our affairs – by we, I mean the Black Rapids Coal Company – that, really, out of my abundance, associative and individual, it is but fair that a charitable investment or two should be made, don’t you think so?”

“Sir,” said the collegian without the least embarrassment, “do I understand that you are officially connected with the Black Rapids Coal Company?”

“Yes, I happen to be president and transfer-agent.” “You are?”

“Yes, but what is it to you? You don’t want to invest?” “Why, do you sell the stock?”

“Some might be bought, perhaps; but why do you ask? you don’t want to invest?”

“But supposing I did,” with cool self-collectedness, “could you do up the thing for me, and here?”

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“Bless my soul,” gazing at him in amaze, “really, you are quite a business man. Positively, I feel afraid of you.”

“Oh, no need of that. – You could sell me some of that stock, then?”

“I don’t know, I don’t know. To be sure, there are a few shares under peculiar circumstances bought in by the Company; but it would hardly be the thing to convert this boat into the Company’s office. I think you had better defer investing. So,” with an indifferent air, “you have seen the unfortunate man I spoke of?”

“Let the unfortunate man go his ways. – What is that large book you have with you?”

“My transfer-book. I am subpoenaed with it to court.” “Black Rapids Coal Company,” obliquely reading the gilt

inscription on the back; “I have heard much of it. Pray do you happen to have with you any statement of the condition of your company.”

“A statement has lately been printed.”

“Pardon me, but I am naturally inquisitive. Have you a copy with you?”

“I tell you again, I do not think that it would be suitable to convert this boat into the Company’s office. – That unfortunate man, did you relieve him at all?”

“Let the unfortunate man relieve himself. – Hand me the statement.”

“Well, you are such a business-man, I can hardly deny you. Here,” handing a small, printed pamphlet.

The youth turned it over sagely.

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