Davenport Dunn, a Man of Our Day. Volume 2

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Lever Charles James. Davenport Dunn, a Man of Our Day. Volume 2

CHAPTER I. THE TELEGRAPHIC DESPATCH

CHAPTER II. “THE RUN FOR GOLD”

CHAPTER III. A NOTE FROM DAVIS

CHAPTER IV. LAZARUS, STEIN, GELDWECHSLER

CHAPTER V. A VILLAGE NEAR THE RHINE

CHAPTER VI. IMMINENT TIDINGS

CHAPTER VII. A DISCURSIVE CONVERSATION

CHAPTER VIII. A FAMILY MEETING

CHAPTER IX. A SAUNTER BY MOONLIGHT

CHAPTER X. A RIDE TO NEUWIED

CHAPTER XI. HOW GROG DAVIS DISCOURSED, AND ANNESLEY BEECHER LISTENED

CHAPTER XII. REFLECTIONS OF ANNESLEY BEECHER

CHAPTER XIII. A DARK CONFIDENCE

CHAPTER XIV. SOME DAYS AT GLENGARIFF

CHAPTER XV. A BRIDLE-PATH

CHAPTER XVI. THE DISCOVERY

CHAPTER XVII. THE DOUBLE BLUNDER

CHAPTER XVIII. DOWNING STREET

CHAPTER XIX. THE COTTAGE NEAR SNOWDON

CHAPTER XX. A SUPPER

CHAPTER XXI. A SHOCK

CHAPTER XXII. A MASTER AND MAN

CHAPTER XXIII. ANNESLEY BEECHER IN A NEW PART

CHAPTER XXIV. A DEAD HEAT

CHAPTER XXV. STUNNING TIDINGS

CHAPTER XXVI. UNPLEASANT EXPLANATIONS

CHAPTER XXVII. OVERREACHINGS

CHAPTER XXVIII. AT ROME

CHAPTER XXIX. THE TWO VISCOUNTESSES

CHAPTER XXX. MRS. SEACOLE’S

CHAPTER XXXI. THE CONVENT OF ST. GEORGE

CHAPTER XXXII. SHOWING “HOW WOUNDS ARE HEALED”

CHAPTER XXXIII. “GROG” IN COUNCIL

CHAPTER XXXIV. THE TRAIN

CHAPTER XXXV. THE TRIAL

CHAPTER XXXVI. THE END OF ALL THINGS

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The great Ossory Bank, with its million sterling of paid-up capital, its royal charter, its titled directory, and its shares at a premium, stood at the top of Patrick Street, Kilkenny, and looked, in the splendor of its plate-glass windows and the security of its iron railings, the very type of solvency and safety. The country squire ascended the hall-door steps with a sort of feeling of acquaintanceship, for he had known the Viscount who once lived there in days before the Union, and the farmer experienced a sense of trustfulness in depositing his hard-earned gains in what he regarded as a temple of Croesus. What an air of prosperity and business did the interior present! The massive doors swung noiselessly at the slightest touch, meet emblem of the secrecy that prevailed, and the facility that pervaded all transactions, within. What alacrity, too, in that numerous band of clerks who counted and cashed and checked unceasingly! How calmly they passed from desk to desk, a word, a mere whisper, serving for converse; and then what a grand and mysterious solemnity about that back office with its double doors, within which some venerable cashier, bald-headed and pursy, stole at intervals to consult the oracle who dwelt within! In the spacious apartment devoted to cash operations, nothing denoted the former destiny of the mansion but a large fireplace, with a pretentious chimney-piece of black oak, over which a bust of our gracious Queen now figured, an object of wonderment and veneration to many a frieze-coated gazer.

On the morning of the 12th August, to which day we have brought our present history, the street in front of the Bank presented a scene of no ordinary interest. From an early hour people continued to pour in, till the entire way was choked up with carriages and conveyances of every description, from the well-equipped barouche of the country gentleman to the humblest “shandradan” of the petty farmer. Sporting-looking fellows upon high-conditioned thoroughbreds, ruddy old squires upon cobs, and hard-featured country-folk upon shaggy ponies, were all jammed up together amidst a dense crowd of foot passengers. A strong police-force was drawn up in front of the Bank, although nothing in the appearance of the assembled mass seemed to denote the necessity for their presence. A low murmur of voices ran through the crowd as each talked to his neighbor, consulting, guessing, and speculating, as temperament inclined: some were showing placards and printed notices they had received through the post; some pointed to newspaper paragraphs; others displayed great rolls of notes; but all talked with a certain air of sadness that appeared to presage coming misfortune. As ten o’clock drew nigh, the hour for opening the Bank, the excitement rose to a painful pitch; every eye was directed to the massive door, whose gorgeous brass knocker shone with a sort of insolent brilliancy in the sun. At every moment watches were consulted, and in muttered whispers men broke their fears to those beside them. Some could descry the heads of people moving about in the cash-office, where a considerable bustle appeared to prevail; and even this much of life seemed to raise the spirits of the crowd, and the rumor ran quickly on every side that the Bank was about to open. At last the deep bell of the town-hall struck ten. At each fall of the hammer all expected to see the door move, but it never stirred; and now the pent-up feeling of the multitude might be marked in a sort of subdued growl, – a low, ill-boding sound, that seemed ta come out of the very earth. As if to answer the unspoken anger of the crowd, – a challenge accepted ere given, – a heavy crash was heard, and the police proceeded to load with ball in the face of the people, – a demonstration whose significance there was no mistaking. A cry of angry defiance burst from the assembled mass at the sight, but as suddenly was checked again as the massive door was seen to move, and then, with a loud bang, fly wide open. The rush was now tremendous. With some vague impression that everything depended upon being amongst the first, the people poured in with all the force of a mighty torrent. Each, fighting his way as if for life itself, regardless of the cries of suffering about him, strove to get forward; nor could all the efforts of the police avail to restrain them in the slightest. Bleeding, wounded, half suffocated, with bruised faces and clothes torn to tatters, they struggled on, – no deference to age, no respect to condition. It was a fearful anarchy, where every thought of the past was lost in the present emergency. On they poured, breathless and bloody, with gleaming eyes and faces of demoniacal meaning; they pushed, they jostled, and they tore, till the first line gained the counter, against which the force behind now threatened to crush them to death.

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Dunn stood in front of the balcony, Lord Glengariff at his side and a little behind him. With one hand pressed upon his heart, he bowed deeply to the multitude. “My kind friends,” said he, in a low voice, but which was audible to a great distance, “it has been my fortune to have received at different times of my life gratifying assurances of sympathy and respect, but never in the whole course of a very varied career do I remember an occasion so deeply gratifying to my feelings as the present. (Cheers, that lasted ten minutes and more.) It is not,” resumed he, with more energy, – “it is not at a moment like this, surrounded by brave and warm hearts, when the sentiments of affection that sway you are mingled with the emotions of my own breast, that I would take a dark or gloomy view of human nature, but truth compels me to say that the attack made this day upon my credit – for I am the Ossory Bank – (loud and wild cheering) – yes, I repeat it, for the stability of this institution I am responsible by all I possess in this world. Every share, every guinea, every acre I own are here! Far from me to impute ungenerous or unworthy motives to any quarter; but, my worthy friends, there has been foul play – (groans) – there has been treachery – (deeper groans) – and my name is not Davenport Dunn but it shall be exposed and punished. (Cries of “More power to ye,” and hearty cheers, greeted this solemn assurance.)

“I am, as you are well aware, and I glory in declaring it, one of yourselves. (Here the enthusiasm was tremendous.) By moderate abilities, hard work, and unflinching honesty – for that is the great secret – I have become that you see me to-day! (Loud cheering.) If there be amongst you any who aspire to my position, I tell him that nothing is easier than to attain it. I was a poor scholar – you know what a poor scholar is – when the generous nobleman you see now at my side first noticed me. (Three cheers for the Lord were proposed and given most heartily.) His generous patronage gave me my first impulse in life. I soon learned how to do the rest. (“That ye did;” “More power and success to ye,” here ran through the mob.) Now, it was at the table of that noble Lord – enjoying the first real holiday in thirty years of toil – that I received a telegraphic despatch, informing me there would be a run for gold upon this Bank before the week was over. I vow to you I did not believe it. I spurned the tidings as a base calumny upon the people, and as I handed the despatch to his Lordship to read, I said, ‘If this be possible – and I doubt it much – it is the treacherous intrigue of an enemy, not the spontaneous movement of the public.’ (Here Lord Glengariff bowed an acquiescence to the statement, a condescension on his part that speedily called for three vociferous cheers for “the Lord,” once more.)

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